EP3235747A1 - Delamination container, method for attaching cap to delamination container, and method for manufacturing delamination container - Google Patents
Delamination container, method for attaching cap to delamination container, and method for manufacturing delamination container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3235747A1 EP3235747A1 EP15869873.8A EP15869873A EP3235747A1 EP 3235747 A1 EP3235747 A1 EP 3235747A1 EP 15869873 A EP15869873 A EP 15869873A EP 3235747 A1 EP3235747 A1 EP 3235747A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- mouth
- container
- cap
- layer
- contents
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
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- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims description 8
- 230000032798 delamination Effects 0.000 title abstract description 17
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 20
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- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 54
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- 239000005977 Ethylene Substances 0.000 description 12
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- 125000004805 propylene group Chemical group [H]C([H])([H])C([H])([*:1])C([H])([H])[*:2] 0.000 description 8
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Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
- B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
- B67B3/00—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps
- B67B3/22—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps by applying snap-on caps
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
- B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
- B65D1/0207—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by material, e.g. composition, physical features
- B65D1/0215—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by material, e.g. composition, physical features multilayered
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/02—Combined blow-moulding and manufacture of the preform or the parison
- B29C49/06905—Using combined techniques for making the preform
- B29C49/0691—Using combined techniques for making the preform using sheet like material, e.g. sheet blow-moulding from joined sheets
- B29C49/06916—Means for avoiding parts of the sheets to stick together, e.g. to provide blow opening
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D1/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
- B65D1/02—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents
- B65D1/0223—Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents characterised by shape
- B65D1/023—Neck construction
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D23/00—Details of bottles or jars not otherwise provided for
- B65D23/02—Linings or internal coatings
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D41/00—Caps, e.g. crown caps or crown seals, i.e. members having parts arranged for engagement with the external periphery of a neck or wall defining a pouring opening or discharge aperture; Protective cap-like covers for closure members, e.g. decorative covers of metal foil or paper
- B65D41/02—Caps or cap-like covers without lines of weakness, tearing strips, tags, or like opening or removal devices
- B65D41/16—Snap-on caps or cap-like covers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
- B65D77/04—Articles or materials enclosed in two or more containers disposed one within another
- B65D77/06—Liquids or semi-liquids or other materials or articles enclosed in flexible containers disposed within rigid containers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D77/00—Packages formed by enclosing articles or materials in preformed containers, e.g. boxes, cartons, sacks or bags
- B65D77/22—Details
- B65D77/225—Pressure relief-valves incorporated in a container wall, e.g. valves comprising at least one elastic element
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
- B65D83/0055—Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
- B65D83/0094—Containers having an external wall formed as, or with, a diaphragm or the like which is deformed to expel the contents
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2205/00—Venting means
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a delaminatable container having an inner layer delaminating from an outer layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, a method of mounting a cap to the delaminatable container, and a method of manufacturing a delaminatable container.
- PTL 1 discloses configuration of a cap mounted to a beverage bottle.
- a cap mounted to a beverage bottle.
- a cap is generally mounted to a mouth of a bottle while a support ring provided in the mouth of the bottle is supported by a support piece.
- delaminatable containers that inhibit entrance of air inside the container by an inner layer delaminated from an outer layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents (e.g., PTLs 2 to 3).
- Such a delaminatable container is provided with an inner bag composed of an inner layer and an outer shell composed of an outer layer.
- the delaminatable container is generally used by mounting a cap with a check valve to a mouth of a container body.
- Such a container body is generally manufactured by blow molding using a tubular laminated parison.
- the container body has the bottom provided with a sealing portion formed by welding an end of the laminated parison. Since this sealing portion is not resistant to impact, it is provided to protrude from the bottom surface of the container in order to increase the strength.
- welded layers in a sealing portion are welded to be engaged with each other by a plurality of penetration portions.
- the present inventors investigated the possibility of providing a support ring of the same configuration as that in PTL 1 in a mouth of the container.
- the delaminatable container however has two-layer configuration of an inner layer and an outer layer even in the mouth. They thus found that the support ring is provided in the mouth, causing the inner layer to be caught by the outer layer in the area of the support ring and sometimes causing difficulty in delamination of the inner layer from the outer layer.
- the first aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container that is capable of suppressing deformation of the container when a cap is mounted without providing a support ring.
- the contents in the container are discharged from a cap provided in the mouth of the container by compressing the outer shell.
- the cap is provided with a check valve. Even when the volume of the contents in the inner bag decreases with the discharge of the contents, fresh air is not introduced into the inner bag and the inner bag is thus shrunk. Meanwhile, to restore the original shape of the outer shell when a compressive force is not applied to the outer shell, a fresh air inlet is provided to introduce fresh air into a space between the outer shell and the inner bag.
- the container is small in size or in a similar case, however, the inner bag is not sometimes shrunk smoothly.
- the second aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container having an inner bag to be shrunk smoothly.
- a die is required to have a pin to press a parison welded layer. This causes a more complex die structure, leading to an increase in production cost. It is thus desired to reinforce the sealing portion by simpler configuration.
- the third aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a method of manufacturing a delaminatable container excellent in productivity.
- the contents in the container are discharged from a cap provided in the mouth of the container by compressing the outer shell.
- the cap is provided with a check valve. Even when the volume of the contents in the inner bag decreases with the discharge of the contents, fresh air is not introduced into the inner bag and the inner bag is thus shrunk. Meanwhile, to restore the original shape of the outer shell when a compressive force is not applied to the outer shell, a fresh air inlet is provided to introduce fresh air into a space between the outer shell and the inner bag. Depending on the container shape and the fresh air inlet position, however, the inner bag may not be readily shrunk or the outer shell may not readily restore its shape.
- the fourth aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container having an inner bag to be shrunk immediately and an outer shell to restore its original shape immediately.
- the present inventors performed a test by mounting a press-fit cap to a container body of a delaminatable container and found that fresh air sometimes entered inside the container body through a gap between the container body and the cap. Since entrance of fresh air inside the container body causes acceleration of content degradation, it is desired to inhibit entrance of fresh air inside the container body.
- the fifth aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container that is capable of inhibiting entrance of fresh air inside the container body.
- the first aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container, including a container body having a storage portion to store contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the storage portion and the mouth having an outer layer and an inner layer, and having an inner bag composed of the inner layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, wherein the mouth includes an engagement section to be engaged with a cap mounted to the mouth and a constriction section provided on a storage portion side from the engagement section and constricting inside the mouth, the mouth includes an upright wall extending from an outer edge of an upper wall of the constriction section at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to the upper wall, and a gap is provided between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the upright wall.
- the present inventors made an intensive investigation on a method for supporting a mouth of a container body by a support without providing a support ring and found that deformation of the container when a cap is mounted is inhibited by providing a constriction section constricting inside the mouth on a lower side from an engagement section to be engaged with the cap mounted to the mouth instead of providing a flanged support ring to support an upper wall of the constriction section by a support.
- the inner layer is prevented from being caught in the outer layer by providing an upright wall extending from an outer edge of the upper wall of the constriction section at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to the upper wall and providing a gap between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the upright wall to have come to complete the first aspect of the present invention.
- the upper wall extends approximately vertically to a central axis of the mouth.
- the upright wall has an angle between 60 and 120 degrees relative to the upper wall.
- the container further includes a facing wall extending inside the mouth from an upper edge of the upright wall, wherein a gap is provided between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the facing wall.
- the facing wall has an angle between -10 and 80 degrees relative to the upper wall.
- the mouth includes an abutment section to abut on an inner ring of the cap, and the abutment section is provided in an area closer to an outlet of the mouth than the engagement section.
- the mouth circumferentially has a first region provided with the constriction section and a second region provided without the constriction section or provided with a minor constriction section having a constriction amount less than that of the constriction section in the first region, and the second region of the mouth is provided with a fresh air inlet to introduce fresh air into an intermediate space between the outer layer and the inner layer.
- the fresh air inlet is provided in a position closer to an outlet of the mouth than the upper wall.
- Another aspect of the first aspect of the present invention provides a method of mounting a cap to the container above including mounting the cap to the mouth while the mouth is supported by having a support to support the mouth abut on a lower surface of the upper wall when the cap is mounted to the mouth.
- the second aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, wherein the inner bag is composed of an inner layer including an innermost layer to contact with the contents and a cover layer slidable over the innermost layer.
- the delaminatable container in the second aspect of the present invention has an inner layer configured to include an innermost layer to contact with the contents and a cover layer slidable over the innermost layer.
- an inner layer configured to include an innermost layer to contact with the contents and a cover layer slidable over the innermost layer.
- the high rigidity of the EVOH resin accordingly causes difficulty in deformation of the inner layer having the cover layer integrated with the innermost layer and the inner bag is sometimes not smoothly shrunk.
- the innermost layer is not adhered to the cover layer and the innermost layer is slidable over the cover layer.
- the innermost layer may be accordingly deformed relatively freely even when the cover layer has higher rigidity, and the inner bag is thus shrunk smoothly.
- the cover layer contains an EVOH resin.
- the third aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a delaminatable container, the container including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, the container body having a storage portion to store the contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion and also having a central recessed region provided in approximate center of a bottom surface of the storage portion and a peripheral region provided surrounding the central recessed region, the central recessed region recessed toward the mouth more than the peripheral region, the method including: sealing portion forming, in blow molding of a tubular laminated parison including an outer layer constituting the outer shell and an inner layer constituting the inner bag, forming a sealing portion of the laminated parison into a thin film in the central recessed region to protrude beyond a plane defined by the peripheral region; and sealing portion processing, bending or melting the sealing portion to accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region.
- a sealing portion in a thin film shape is formed by compressing a laminated parison to protrude from a central recessed region provided in a bottom surface of the storage portion of the container body, and the sealing portion is subjected to bending or melting to reinforce the sealing portion and also accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region.
- the delaminatable container is a small container such as an eye drop container
- the central recessed region is also recessed in a smaller amount and it is not easy to accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region.
- the sealing portion is in a thin film shape, which facilitates accommodation of the sealing portion in the central recessed region by bending or melting.
- the sealing portion is formed to have a maximum thickness of 1/3 or less of a thickness of the laminated parison.
- the sealing portion is formed to have an entirely uniform thickness.
- the fourth aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container, including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, wherein the container body includes a storage portion to store the contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the outer shell includes a fresh air inlet, in the storage portion, communicating an external space with an intermediate space between the outer shell and the inner bag, the storage portion includes a more rigid portion and a less rigid portion with less rigidity than that of the more rigid portion, and the fresh air inlet is provided on a less rigid portion side.
- the less rigid portion When the delaminatable container in the fourth aspect of the present invention is compressed, the less rigid portion is preferentially pressed and greatly deformed, causing noticeable inner layer delamination on the less rigid portion side.
- a fresh air inlet is provided on the less rigid portion side to immediately introduce fresh air in inner layer delamination on the less rigid portion side, causing inner layer delamination to proceed much more immediately and the outer shell to restore its original shape immediately.
- the storage portion has a tubular portion in a tubular shape and a panel portion formed by depressing a portion of the tubular portion, and the panel portion is the more rigid portion and the tubular portion is the less rigid portion.
- the fresh air inlet is provided in a position facing the panel portion.
- the fifth aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container, including: a container body and a press-fit cap mounted to the container body, wherein the container body is configured to include a storage portion to store contents and a mouth having an opening to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the storage portion and the mouth having an outer layer and an inner layer, and having an inner bag composed of the inner layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, the mouth includes a mouth-side engagement section provided along an outer circumference of the mouth, the cap includes a cap-side engagement section provided along an inner circumference of the cap, the mouth-side engagement section and the cap-side engagement section are configured to be engageable with each other while the cap is mounted to the mouth, and at least one of the cap and the mouth includes a tilt suppressor to suppress a tilt of the cap relative to the mouth by narrowing a gap between the mouth and the cap in a position more distant from the opening than the cap-side engagement section while the cap is mounted to the mouth.
- the container body is configured to include a storage
- the present inventors investigated the cause of fresh air entrance and found that a cap sometimes tends to tilt relative to the mouth depending on the shape of the mouth of the container body and the shape of the press-fit cap and the cause is the tendency to form a gap between the cap and the mouth due to the tilt of the cap. Based on the findings, the inventors found that entrance of fresh air inside the container body is inhibited by providing a tilt suppressor to suppress the tilt of the cap relative to the mouth to have come to complete the fifth aspect of the present invention.
- the tilt suppressor is a mouth-side protrusion provided on the outer circumference of the mouth.
- the container further includes a constriction section constricting inside the mouth provided on a storage portion side from the mouth-side engagement section, wherein the mouth-side protrusion is provided between an upper wall of the constriction section and the mouth-side engagement section.
- the tilt suppressor is a cap-side protrusion provided on the inner circumference of the cap.
- the storage portion includes a fresh air inlet communicating an external space with an intermediate space between the outer layer and the inner layer.
- Embodiments of the present invention are described below. Various characteristics in the embodiments described below may be combined with each other. Each characteristic is independently inventive. Descriptions are given to embodiments in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention first, and then to embodiments in the fifth aspect of the present invention. The characteristics described in the embodiments of the first to fourth aspects may be combined with the characteristics described in embodiments of the fifth aspect.
- a delaminatable container 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention is provided with a container body 3 and a valve member 4.
- the container body 3 is provided with a storage portion 7 to store the contents and a mouth 9 to deliver the contents from the storage portion 7.
- the container body 3 includes an outer layer 11 and an inner layer 13 in the storage portion 7 and the mouth 9, where the outer layer 11 constitutes an outer shell 12 and the inner layer 13 constitutes an inner bag 14. Due to separation of the inner layer 13 from the outer layer 11 with a decrease in the contents, the inner bag 14 separates from the outer shell 12 to be shrunk. Preliminary delamination is sometimes performed to delaminate the inner layer 13 from the outer layer 11 prior to storage of the contents in the storage portion 7. In this case, the inner layer 13 is contacted with the outer layer 11 by blowing air or storing the contents in the storage portion 7 after preliminary delamination. The inner layer 13 then separates from the outer layer 11 with a decrease in the contents. Meanwhile, when preliminary delamination is not performed, the inner layer 13 is delaminated from the outer layer 11 in discharge of the contents to separate from the outer layer 11.
- the mouth 9 includes an engagement section 9d.
- the mouth 9 is assumed to have a press-fit cap 23 mounted thereto as illustrated in Figs. 3A to 3C .
- the engagement section 9d is a ring-shaped projection to be engaged with an engagement section 23c of the cap 23.
- a cap, a pump, or the like with an internal thread may be mounted to the mouth 9, and in such a case, the engagement section 9d is configured with an external thread.
- the mouth 9 also includes a constriction section 9c constricting inside the mouth 9 on the storage portion 7 side from the engagement section 9d.
- the constriction section 9c has an upper wall 9e extending approximately vertically to a central axis C of the mouth 9.
- the mouth 9 also includes an upright wall 9f extending from an outer edge of the upper wall 9e at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to the upper wall 9e.
- the upright wall 9f has an angle to the upper wall 9e preferably from 60 to 120 degrees and more preferably from 75 to 105 degrees. In the present embodiment, the upright wall 9f approximately vertically extends to the upper wall 9e.
- a facing wall 9g is provided extending from an upper edge of the upright wall 9f inside the mouth 9 (in the central axis C direction).
- the facing wall 9g is at an angle to the upper wall 9e for example, but not particularly limited to, from -10 to 80 degrees and of approximately 30 degrees in the present embodiment.
- a gap is provided between the inner layer 13e at the upper wall 9e and an inner layer 13g at the facing wall 9g.
- the inner layer 13 is not caught in the outer layer 11e at the upper wall 9e and an outer layer 11g at the facing wall 9g.
- the inner layer 13 is not confined to the outer layer 11 in the mouth 9, and the inner layer 13 thus smoothly delaminates from the outer layer 11.
- the cap 23 to be mounted includes a cap body (body portion) 23a, an outlet 23b provided in the cap body 23a, the engagement section 23c provided at an approximate end of a tubular portion (outer circumference portion) 23f cylindrically extending from the cap body 23a, an inner ring 23d cylindrically extending from the cap body 23a inside the tubular portion 23f, a flow passage 23g provided inside the inner ring 23d and communicating with the outlet 23b, and a check valve 23e provided in the flow passage 23g. While the cap 23 is mounted to the mouth 9, the contents in the storage portion 7 are discharged from the outlet 23b through the flow passage 23g.
- the check valve 23e blocks an incoming flow of fresh air from the outlet 23b, and fresh air does not enter inside the inner bag 14 of the container body 3 to inhibit content degradation.
- the structure of the cap 23 described here is merely an example, and for example, a cap 23 having a check valve of another configuration may be employed.
- a support 10 is brought to abut on a lower surface of the upper wall 9e of the constriction section 9c.
- the engagement section 23c of the cap 23 is engaged with the engagement section 9d of the mouth 9.
- the tubular portion 23f of the cap 23 transforms to enlarge the diameter and the mouth 9 transforms to reduce the diameter, and thus it is easier to mount the cap 23 when the mouth 9 readily transforms.
- the mouth 9 in the present embodiment is however not provided with a support ring as disclosed in JP 11-292112A and the mouth 9 is supported by having the support 10 abutting on the lower surface of the upper wall 9e of the constriction section 9c.
- the mouth 9 thus readily transforms, and mounting of the cap 23 is facilitated.
- the inner bag 14 readily transforms in the area near a container opening and it helps to use the contents up.
- the mouth 9 also includes an abutment section 9a on which an outer surface of the inner ring 23d abuts. Leakage of the contents is prevented by the outer surface of the inner ring 23d abutting on the abutment section 9a of the mouth 9.
- the mouth 9 is equipped with an enlarged diameter portion 9b at the end.
- the enlarged diameter portion 9b has an inner diameter greater than the inner diameter in an abutment portion 9a, and thus the outer surface of the inner ring 23d does not make contact with the enlarged diameter portion 9b.
- the constriction section 9c is provided in a position closer to the storage portion 7 than the abutment section 9a to inhibit slipping off of the inner layer 13 by the constriction section 9c. Dropping of the inner bag 14 into the outer shell 12 is thus inhibited.
- the constriction section 9c thus has a function of inhibiting slipping off of the inner layer 13 and also has a function as a support area for the mouth 9 by the support 10 when the cap 23 is mounted.
- the first modification illustrated in Figs. 4A to 4C mainly differs in the position of an abutment section 9a from the configuration in Figs. 3A to 3C .
- the abutment section 9a is in a position closer to the container opening than the engagement section 9d
- the abutment section 9a is distant from the container opening relative to the engagement section 9d and is provided between the engagement section 9d and the constriction section 9c.
- the configuration in Figs. 3A to 3C is more advantageous in that, in addition to the volume of the container body 3 can be effectively used, the inner layer 13 is delaminatable in a position closer to the container opening to discharge the contents fully.
- the second modification illustrated in Figs. 5A to 5C mainly differs in a facing wall 9g approximately parallel to the an upper wall 9e to form a horizontally-flipped approximate U shape by the upper wall 9e, an upright wall 9f, and the facing wall 9g from the configuration in Figs. 3A to 3C .
- a gap is provided between the inner layers13e, 13f, 13g and they are not integrated, and the actions and effects are thus obtained that are same as those in the configuration of Figs. 3A to 3C .
- a shorter distance between the upper wall 9e and the facing wall 9g tends to cause contact of the inner layer 13e with the inner layer 13g to be integrated.
- the distance between the lower surface of the upper wall 9e and an upper surface of the facing wall 9g is preferably 2.5 times or more of the thickness of the upper wall 9e (total thickness of the outer layer 11e and the inner layer 13e). In this case, a gap with approximately half thickness of the thickness of the upper wall 9e is formed between the inner layer 13e and the inner layer 13g.
- the storage portion 7 is in an approximately cylindrical shape and has a tubular portion 7b in a tubular shape and a panel portion 7c formed by depressing a portion of the tubular portion 7b.
- the container body 3 is formed by blow molding of a tubular (e.g., cylindrical) laminated parison, the container body 3 has a smaller thickness in an area at a greater blow ratio (an area more distant from the central axis C). Since the panel portion 7c is closer to the central axis C than the tubular portion 7b, it has a greater thickness than that of the tubular portion 7b.
- the panel portion 7c accordingly has greater rigidity than that of the tubular portion 7b, and the panel portion 7c becomes a more rigid portion and the tubular portion 7b becomes a less rigid portion.
- the contents in the storage portion 7 are discharged by deformation due to compression of the storage portion 7.
- the tubular portion 7b and the panel portion 7c are pinched to compress the storage portion 7, the less rigid tubular portion 7b is preferentially deformed and the amount of deformation in the tubular portion 7b is greater than that in the panel portion 7c.
- the inner layer 13 tends to be delaminated from the outer layer 11 in the area of a greater amount of deformation, delamination of the inner layer 13 tends to preferentially proceed in the tubular portion 7b.
- the outer shell 12 includes a fresh air inlet 15, in the storage portion 7, communicating an external space S of the container body 3 with an intermediate space 21 between the outer shell 12 and the inner bag 14.
- the fresh air inlet 15 is provided on the tubular portion (less rigid portion) 7b side, fresh air is smoothly introduced into the intermediate space 21 between the outer shell 12 and the inner bag 14 when the inner layer 13 is delaminated and the inner layer 13 is smoothly delaminated from the outer layer 11. Accordingly, the inner bag 14 is smoothly shrunk when the storage portion 7 is compressed and the outer shell 12 smoothly restores its original shape when the compressive force is removed.
- the fresh air inlet 15 may be provided in an arbitrary position of the tubular portion (less rigid portion) 7b, it is preferably provided in a position facing the panel portion 7c. This is because, when tubular portion 7b and the panel portion 7c are pinched to compress the storage portion 7, the tubular portion 7b is most greatly deformed in the position facing the panel portion 7c.
- the fresh air inlet 15 includes the valve member 4 to regulate entrance and exit of air between the intermediate space 21 and the external space S.
- the valve member 4 is mounted to a valve member mounting recess 7a provided in the storage portion 7.
- the valve member 4 of is closed to block an air flow from the intermediate space 21 to the external space S and thus has a function of increasing the pressure in the intermediate space 21 to facilitate transmission of the pressure exerted on the outer shell 12 to the inner bag 14. Accordingly, even when the contents in the inner bag 14 are decreased, the contents are readily discharged.
- the valve member 4 is opened and has a function of passing therethrough the air from the external space S to the intermediate space 21. Accordingly, fresh air is introduced into the intermediate space 21 and the outer shell 12 smoothly restores its original shape.
- the valve member 4 is not an essential component because, even with no valve member 4, the inner bag 14 can be directly compressed through the outer shell 12 by greatly deforming the outer shell 12.
- the valve member 4 may have a function of opening and closing the fresh air inlet 15, and the configuration examples include a configuration where the valve member 4 itself is provided with a through hole and an on-off valve, which acts to open and close the through hole for opening and closing of the fresh air inlet 15 and a configuration where a gap between the valve member 4 and an edge of the fresh air inlet 15 is opened and closed by movement of the valve member 4 for opening and closing of the fresh air inlet 15 by the valve member 4.
- the former valve member 4 is suitably applied to a particularly small container, such as an eye drop container, because the valve member 4 functions with no problem even when the size of the fresh air inlet 15 is somewhat varied.
- the valve member 4 is provided with a tube 5 having a cavity 5g provided to communicate the external space S with the intermediate space 21 and a mobile part 6 movably stored in the cavity 5g.
- the tube 5 and the mobile part 6 are formed by injection molding or the like, and the mobile part 6 is disposed in the cavity 5g by pressing the mobile part 6 into the cavity 5g to pass over a stopper 5h described later.
- the cavity 5g has an approximately cylindrical shape and the mobile part 6 has an approximately spherical shape while they may have another shape as long as the shape is capable of achieving same functions as those in the present embodiment.
- the cavity 5g has a diameter in a horizontal cross section (cross section in Fig. 6D ) slightly larger than the corresponding diameter of the mobile part 6 and has a shape allowing the mobile part 6 to freely move in arrow B directions in Fig. 6C .
- a value of the ratio defined by the diameter of the cavity 5g in the horizontal cross section / the corresponding diameter of the mobile part 6 is preferably from 1.01 to 1.2 and more preferably from 1.05 to 1.15. This is because a too small value of the ratio causes interference with smooth movement of the mobile part 6 and a too large value of this ratio causes an excessive increase in the gap between the mobile part 6 and a surface 5j surrounding the cavity 5g and thus an insufficient force tends to be applied to the mobile part 6 for compression of the container body 3.
- the tube 5 has a stem 5a disposed in the fresh air inlet 15, a locking portion 5b provided on the external space S side of the stem 5a and preventing entrance of the tube 5 into the intermediate space 21, and a diametrically expanded portion 5c provided on the intermediate space 21 side of the stem 5a and preventing drawing of the tube 5 from outside the container body 3.
- the stem 5a has a tapered shape towards the intermediate space 21 side. That is, the stem 5a has an outer circumferential surface providing a tapered surface. The outer circumferential surface of the stem 5a closely contacts with an edge of the fresh air inlet 15 to mount the tube 5 to the container body 3. Such configuration allows reduction in the gap between the tube 5 and the edge of the fresh air inlet 15.
- the tube 5 is mounted to the container body 3 by making the outer circumferential surface of the stem 5a close contact with the edge of the fresh air inlet 15, and the diametrically expanded portion 5c is thus not essential.
- the surface 5j surrounding the cavity 5g is provided with a stopper 5h to lock the mobile part 6 in movement of the mobile part 6 from the intermediate space 21 side towards the external space S side.
- the stopper 5h is configured with an annular projection, and when the mobile part 6 abuts on the stopper 5h, to block air communication through the cavity 5g.
- the tube 5 has an end providing a flat surface 5d, and the flat surface 5d is provided with an opening 5e in communication with the cavity 5g.
- the opening 5e has an approximately circular central opening 5e1 provided at the center of the flat surface 5d and a plurality of slits 5e2 radially extending from the central opening 5e1. Such configuration does not interfere with air flow even when the mobile part 6 abuts on the bottom of the cavity 5g.
- the valve member 4 is allowed to be mounted to the container body 3 by inserting the diametrically expanded portion 5c into the intermediate space 21 while pressing and expanding the fresh air inlet 15 by the diametrically expanded portion 5c.
- the diametrically expanded portion 5c thus has an end preferably in a tapered shape. Being mounted only by pressing the diametrically expanded portion 5c into the intermediate space 21 from outside the container body 3, such valve member 4 is excellent in productivity. Since the tube 5 has an end provided with the flat surface 5d, the inner bag 14 is not easily damaged even when the valve member 4 is pressed into the intermediate space 21 and the end of the valve member 4 collides with the inner bag 14.
- the container may be configured to provide a cover preventing introduction of fresh air into the intermediate space 21 by covering the surroundings of the valve member 4 and the fresh air inlet 15 with the valve member 4 mounted thereto.
- a cover prevents entrance of an odorous gas in a factory into the intermediate space 21 during production.
- the cover may be mounted in a clean atmosphere.
- Such configuration allows prevention of, for sterilization of the container in high temperature steam, entrance of the steam from the fresh air inlet 15 into the intermediate space 21, causing water remained in the intermediate space 21.
- the valve member 4 and the fresh air inlet 15 are covered with the cover, fresh air is not introduced in the intermediate space 21 and the outer shell 12 does not restore its shape after compression. Users are thus supposed to use the container in a state of removing the cover.
- Figs. 7A and 7B specific configuration examples include a configuration of providing a sealing member 8 to be adhered around the valve member 4 and the fresh air inlet 15.
- the sealing member 8 is pasted over an annular convex 7d provided surrounding the valve member mounting recess 7a.
- the sealing member 8 is pasted over the annular convex 7d provided surrounding the valve member 4 and the fresh air inlet 15 in the valve member mounting recess 7a.
- the example of Fig. 7B allows avoiding of protrusion of the sealing member 8 from the surface of the outer shell 12.
- the storage portion 7 has a bottom surface 29 with a central recessed region 29a and a peripheral region 29b provided surrounding the central recessed region 29a.
- a bottom sealing portion 27 is provided that protrudes from the bottom surface 29.
- a method of forming the bottom sealing portion 27 is as follows.
- a sealing portion 27a of the laminated parison is formed into a thin film to protrude beyond a plane P (illustrated in Fig. 2 ) defined by the peripheral region 29b in the central recessed region 29a (sealing portion forming procedure).
- the sealing portion 27a is formed by sandwiching a laminated parison with a split die for compression in blow molding.
- the sealing portion 27a is formed to have a maximum thickness of preferably 1/3 or less (more preferably, 1/4, 1/5, or less) of the thickness of the laminated parison.
- the sealing portion 27a has a thickness of, for example, from 0.1 to 0.4 mm and preferably from 0.2 to 0.3 mm. In an example, a tubular laminated parison with a thickness of 1.5 mm is compressed to 0.25 mm in the sealing portion 27a.
- the sealing portion 27a is preferably formed to have an entirely uniform thickness.
- the bottom sealing portion 27 is formed by bending the sealing portion 27a to accommodate the sealing portion 27a in the central recessed region 29a. Since the sealing portion 27a is in an extremely thin film shape, it is readily bent to be accommodated in the central recessed region 29a.
- the sealing portion 27a may be subjected to melting, instead of bending. Since the sealing portion 27a is in an extremely thin film shape, it is readily melted to be accommodated in the central recessed region 29a.
- the formation of the bottom sealing portion 27 by bending or melting the sealing portion 27a allows improvement in impact resistance on the bottom surface 29 of the container body 3.
- the bottom sealing portion 27 does not protrude from the plane P. This prevents, when the delaminatable container 1 is stood, inhibition of self-supportability of the delaminatable container 1 due to the bottom seal protrusion 27 sticking out of the plane P.
- a recess region in the bottom surface 29 is provided across the entire bottom surface 29 in a longitudinal direction of the sealing portion 27a. That is, the central recessed region 29a is connected to a peripheral recess region 29c. Such configuration facilitates bending of the sealing portion 27a.
- the layer structure of the container body 3 is described below in further detail.
- the container body 3 is provided with the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 13.
- the outer layer 11 is formed thicker than the inner layer 13 so as to increase the restorability thereof.
- the outer layer 11 is formed of, for example, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, or a mixture thereof, or the like.
- the outer layer 11 is preferably formed to contain low-density polyethylene. Such configuration facilitates squeeze to discharge the contained liquid.
- the outer layer 11 may be composed of a single layer of low-density polyethylene.
- the outer layer 11 may be composed of a multilayer of low-density polyethylene and a recycled material using burrs generated during molding.
- the inner layer 13 includes an innermost layer 13a to make contact with the contents and a cover layer 13b slidable over the innermost layer 13a.
- Configuration of a cover layer 13b containing an EVOH resin or the like with high oxygen barrier properties integrated with the innermost layer 13a by adhesion is generally employed.
- the high rigidity of the EVOH resin accordingly causes difficulty in deformation of the inner layer 13 having the cover layer 13b integrated with the innermost layer 13a and the inner bag 14 is sometimes not smoothly shrunk.
- the innermost layer 13a is not adhered to the cover layer 13b and the innermost layer 13a is slidable over the cover layer 13b.
- the innermost layer 13a may be accordingly deformed relatively freely even when the cover layer 13b has higher rigidity, and the inner bag 14 is thus shrunk smoothly.
- the innermost layer 13a is separated from the cover layer 13b, no problem arises as long as the innermost layer 13a is not damaged even when the cover layer 13b is damaged by mistake during formation of the fresh air inlet 15.
- the fresh air inlet 15 may be formed to penetrate the outer layer 11 and the cover layer 13b. In this case, fresh air is introduced even into the space between the innermost layer 13a and the cover layer 13b.
- the innermost layer 13a is a layer to make contact with the contents of the delaminatable container 1. It contains, for example, polyolefin, such as low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, and a mixture thereof, an EVOH resin, and the like.
- the resin constituting the innermost layer 13a preferably has a tensile modulus of elasticity from 50 to 300 MPa and more preferably from 70 to 200 MPa. This is because the innermost layer 13a is particularly flexible when the tensile modulus of elasticity is in such a range.
- the tensile modulus of elasticity is, for example, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 Mpa or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the innermost layer 13a is preferably of polypropylene or an EVOH resin not to cause easy adsorption of the chemical components by the innermost layer 13a.
- a more flexible inner layer allows smooth shrinking of the inner layer and prevention of pinholes and the like.
- the innermost layer 13a is thus particularly preferred to be formed using polypropylene. From the perspective of flexibility, a propylene random copolymer is particularly preferred for the innermost layer 13a.
- the propylene random copolymer is a random copolymer of propylene and another monomer and has a content of the monomer other than propylene of less than 50 mol%, preferably from 5 to 35 mol%. Specifically, the content is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the monomer to be copolymerized with propylene ethylene is particularly preferred.
- the ethylene content is preferably from 5 to 30 mol% and specifically, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the cover layer 13b is a layer provided to give oxygen barrier properties and the like and preferably contains an EVOH resin.
- the cover layer 13b contains an EVOH resin, the delamination properties between the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 13 becomes good.
- the EVOH resin is an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) resin and is obtained by hydrolysis of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.
- the EVOH resin has an ethylene content, for example, from 25 to 50 mol%, and from the perspective of oxygen barrier properties, it is preferably 32 mol% or less. Although not particularly defined, the lower limit of the ethylene content is preferably 25 mol% or more because the flexibility of the EVOH resin is prone to decrease when the ethylene content is less.
- the EVOH resin preferably contains an oxygen absorbent. The content of an oxygen absorbent in the EVOH resin further improves the oxygen barrier properties of the EVOH resin.
- the EVOH resin preferably has a melting point higher than the melting point of the resin contained in the outer layer 11.
- the inlet can be prevented from reaching the inner layer 13 in formation of the fresh air inlet 15 in the outer layer 11 by the EVOH resin having a melting point higher than the melting point of the resin contained in the outer layer 11.
- a greater difference of (Melting Point of EVOH) - (Melting Point of Resin contained in Outer Layer 11) is desired, and it is preferably 15°C or more and particularly preferably 30°C or more.
- the difference in melting points is, for example, from 5°C to 50°C. Specifically, it is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50°C or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- an adhesion layer may be provided between the innermost layer 13a and the cover layer 13b.
- the adhesion layer is a layer having a function of adhering the cover layer 13b to the innermost layer 13a, and it is, for example, a product of adding acid modified polyolefin (e.g., maleic anhydride modified polyethylene) with carboxyl groups introduced therein to polyolefin described above or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA).
- An example of the adhesion layer is a mixture of acid modified polyethylene with low-density polyethylene or linear low-density polyethylene.
- a delaminatable container in the second embodiment of the present invention is described.
- the second embodiment is similar to the second modification of the first embodiment and mainly differs in that a fresh air inlet 15 is provided in a mouth 9, that a constriction section 9c has different configuration, and that a check valve 23i is provided in a cap 23, instead of the valve member 4.
- a fresh air inlet 15 is provided in a mouth 9
- a constriction section 9c has different configuration
- a check valve 23i is provided in a cap 23, instead of the valve member 4.
- the mouth 9 is provided with the constriction section 9c to have a uniform constriction amount across the entire circumference of the mouth 9, whereas in the present embodiment, the mouth 9 circumferentially has a first region R1 and a second region R2.
- the first region R1 is configured to include the constriction section 9c, and the second region R2 not to include the constriction section 9c. That is, in the present embodiment, the constriction section 9c is provided only in part of the circumference of the mouth 9.
- the fresh air inlet 15 is provided in the second region R2.
- the cap 23 includes a flow passage 23h provided to communicate the fresh air inlet 15 with the external space S and the check valve 23i provided in the flow passage 23h.
- the check valve 23i has functions of closing the flow passage 23h, when the storage portion 7 is compressed, to increase the pressure in the intermediate space 21 and opening the flow passage 23h, when the compressive force applied to the storage portion 7 is removed, to pass air therethrough flowing from the external space S to the intermediate space 21.
- the fresh air inlet 15 is preferably provided in a position closer to an outlet of the mouth 9 than the upper wall 9e and more preferably provided in a position closer to the outlet of the mouth 9 than the facing wall 9g.
- the fresh air inlet 15 is provided in the second region R2 where the constriction section 9c is not provided, and thus there is no constriction section 9c between the fresh air inlet 15 provided in the mouth 9 and the storage portion 7. Accordingly, a flow passage for fresh air is more readily formed between the fresh air inlet 15 and the intermediate space 21 between the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 13 in the storage portion 7 and thus fresh air is more readily introduced into the intermediate space 21.
- the first region R1 and the second region R2 are alternately provided in two areas each on the circumference of the mouth 9 and the first region R1 and the second region R2 are provided respectively at an angle in the range of approximately 90 degrees.
- the first region R1 and the second region R2 are provided in one area each on the circumference of the mouth 9. In such an embodiment as well, it is possible to provide the fresh air inlet 15 in the second region R2 and obtain the same actions and effects as those in the second embodiment.
- the constriction section 9c is not provided in the second region R2.
- a minor constriction section 9c1 having a constriction amount less than that of the constriction section 9c is provided in the second region R2.
- the minor constriction section 9c1 is between the fresh air inlet 15 and the storage portion 7. Since the minor constriction section 9c1 has a less constriction amount, it tends not to interfere with formation of a flow passage for fresh air between the fresh air inlet 15 and the intermediate space 21. Accordingly, in the present modification as well, the actions and effects are obtained that are same as those in the second embodiment.
- the side wall of the mouth 9 above the constriction section 9c protrudes radially outside to form the constriction section 9c in the first region R1.
- the outer circumferential shape of the mouth 9 in the constriction section 9c is accordingly approximately circular.
- the side wall of the approximately cylindrical mouth 9 in the first region R1 is depressed radially inside in the constriction section 9c of the mouth 9 to form the constriction section 9c in the first region R1.
- the mouth 9 in the constriction section 9c has a noncircular outer circumferential shape and the mouth 9 at the upright wall 9f has an approximately circular outer circumferential shape.
- the present modification as well, there is no constriction section 9c between the fresh air inlet 15 and the storage portion 7, and the actions and effects are thus obtained that are same as those in the second embodiment.
- the distance in the second region R2 from the central axis C the mouth 9 to the inner layer 13 is larger than that in the second embodiment.
- the inner layer 13 is accordingly thinner and the rigidity tends to decrease.
- the present modification thus has an advantage that the inner layer 13 is more readily delaminated from the outer layer 11 than that in the second embodiment.
- Embodiments in the fifth aspect of the present invention are described below. In the following description, the descriptions in common with those in the embodiments in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention are omitted.
- a delaminatable container 1 in the third embodiment of the present invention includes a container body 3, a valve member 4, a press-fit cap 23 mounted to the container body 3.
- the container body 3 includes a storage portion 7 to store the contents and a mouth 9 having an opening 9i to discharge the contents from the storage portion 7.
- the container body 3 includes an outer layer 11 and an inner layer 13 in the storage portion 7 and the mouth 9.
- the outer layer 11 constitutes an outer shell 12 and the inner layer 13 constitutes an inner bag 14.
- the mouth 9 includes an engagement section 9d along the outer circumference of the mouth 9.
- the mouth 9 in the present embodiment is assumed to have the press-fit cap 23 mounted thereto, and the engagement section 9d is an annular projection to be engageable with an engagement section 23c of the cap 23.
- the mouth 9 includes a constriction section 9c constricting inside the mouth 9 on the storage portion 7 side from the engagement section 9d.
- the constriction section 9c has an upper wall 9e extending approximately vertically to a central axis C of the mouth 9.
- the cap 23 to be mounted includes a cap body 23a and a cap cover 23m.
- the cap body 23a and the cap cover 23m are coupled in a coupling portion 23j to allow opening and closing of the cap cover 23m.
- the cap body 23a includes a top 23t, an outlet 23b provided in the top 23t, a tubular portion 23f cylindrically extending from the outer circumference of the top 23t, an engagement section 23c provided along the inner circumference of the tubular portion 23f, an inner ring 23d cylindrically extending from the top 23t inside the tubular portion 23f, a flow passage 23g provided inside the inner ring 23d and communicating with the outlet 23b, and a check valve 23e provided in the flow passage 23g.
- the engagement section 23c is an annular projection to be engageable with the engagement section 9d of the mouth 9. While the cap 23 is mounted to the mouth 9, the contents in the storage portion 7 are discharged from the outlet 23b through the flow passage 23g.
- the check valve 23e blocks an incoming flow of fresh air from the outlet 23b, and thus fresh air does not enter the inner bag 14 of the container body 3 to inhibit content degradation.
- the structure of the cap 23 described here is merely an example, and for example, a cap 23 having a check valve of another configuration may be employed.
- a support 10 is brought to abut on a lower surface of the upper wall 9e of the constriction section 9c.
- the engagement section 23c of the cap 23 is brought to abut on the engagement section 9d of the mouth 9, and from this situation, the cap 23 is pressed further.
- the engagement section 23c thus passes over the engagement section 9d for engagement of the engagement section 23c with the engagement section 9d.
- a protrusion 9h is provided in a position more distant from the opening 9i (position closer to the storage portion 7) than the engagement section 9d.
- the protrusion 9h is provided between the engagement section 9d and the upper wall 9e of the constriction section 9c.
- the protrusion 9h is formed by enlarging the diameter in the area between the engagement section 9d and the upper wall 9e of the constriction section 9c.
- a large gap G is formed between an end 23l of the tubular portion 23f and the mouth 9.
- the presence of the gap G tends to cause a tilt of the cap 23, and the tilt may cause separation of the inner ring 23d from the abutment section 9a and entrance of fresh air inside the container body 3.
- the protrusion 9h is provided between the engagement section 9d and the upper wall 9e of the constriction section 9c.
- the protrusion 9h functions as "the tilt suppressor" in the appended claims.
- the protrusion 9h may, or does not have to, make contact with the end 23l.
- the protrusion 9h and the end 23l in contact have an advantage of more effective suppression of the tilt of the cap 23.
- the protrusion 9h and the end 23l not in contact have an advantage of reduction in interference between the end 23l and the protrusion 9h when the cap 23 is mounted to the mouth 9.
- the storage portion 7 includes a valve member mounting recess 7a composed of an inclined plane, and the recess 7a includes the fresh air inlet 15.
- the fresh air inlet 15 is a through hole provided only in the outer shell 12 and communicates an intermediate space 21 between the outer shell 12 and the inner bag 14 with an external space S of the container body 3.
- the fresh air inlet 15 has the valve member 4 mounted thereto to regulate entrance and exit of air between the intermediate space 21 and the external space S.
- the recess 7a is provided to avoid interference between the valve member 4 and a shrink film when the storage portion 7 is covered with the shrink film.
- an air circulation groove 7b is provided that extends in the direction from the recess 7a to the mouth 9.
- the valve member 4 includes a stem 4a disposed in the fresh air inlet 15, a lid 4c provided on the intermediate space 21 side of the stem 4a and having a greater cross section than that of the stem 4a, and a locking portion 4b provided on the external space S side of the stem 4a and preventing entrance of the valve member 4 into the intermediate space 21.
- the lid 4c is inserted into the intermediate space 21 while pressing and expanding the fresh air inlet 15, thereby mounting the valve member 4 to the container body 3.
- the lid 4c preferably has an end in a tapered shape.
- Such a valve member 4 is mountable only by pressing the lid 4c into the intermediate space 21 from outside the container body 3 and is thus excellent in productivity.
- the lid 4c is configured to substantially close the fresh air inlet 15 when the outer shell 12 is compressed and has a shape of a smaller cross section as getting closer to the stem 4a.
- the locking portion 4b is configured to allow introduction of air into the intermediate space 21 when the outer shell 12 restores its shape after compression.
- the pressure in the intermediate space 21 becomes higher than the external pressure, leading to leakage of air in the intermediate space 21 from the fresh air inlet 15 to the outside.
- This pressure difference and the air flow cause movement of the lid 4c toward the fresh air inlet 15 to, as illustrated in Fig. 17B , close the fresh air inlet 15 with the lid 4c. Since the lid 4c has the shape with a smaller cross section as getting closer to the stem 4a, the lid 4c readily fits in the fresh air inlet 15 to close the fresh air inlet 15.
- the locking portion 4b includes a flow passage 4d to allow introduction of fresh air into the intermediate space 21 through the flow passage 4d and the fresh air inlet 15 even when the locking portion 4b abuts on the outer shell 12.
- the present embodiment is configured that the gap between an edge of the fresh air inlet 15 and the valve member 4 is opened and closed by the movement of the valve member 4 to allow the valve member 4 to open and close the fresh air inlet 15.
- the valve member itself may be configured to have a through hole and an on-off valve, which acts to open and close the through hole, thereby opening and closing the fresh air inlet 15.
- the container body 3 includes the outer layer 11 and the inner layer 13.
- the outer layer 11 is formed of, for example, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, or a mixture thereof, or the like.
- the outer layer 11 may have a multilayer structure.
- the structure may be, for example, a configuration in which both sides of a repro layer are sandwiched by polypropylene layers.
- the term "repro layer” refers to a layer formed by recycling burrs generated during container molding.
- the outer layer 11 is formed thicker than the inner layer 13 so as to increase the restorability thereof.
- the outer layer 11 includes a random copolymer layer containing a random copolymer of propylene and another monomer.
- the outer layer 11 may be a single layer of the random copolymer or may have a multilayer structure. It may be, for example, a configuration in which both sides of the repro layer are sandwiched by random copolymer layers. Formation of the outer layer 11 using a random copolymer of a specific configuration allows improvement in the shape restorability, transparency, and heat resistance of the outer shell 12.
- the random copolymer has a content of a monomer other than propylene of less than 50 mol% and preferably from 5 to 35 mol%. Specifically, this content is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the monomer to be copolymerized with propylene may be one that improves impact resistance of the random copolymer compared with a homopolymer of polypropylene, and ethylene is particularly preferred. In the case of a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene, the ethylene content is preferably from 5 to 30 mol%.
- the random copolymer preferably has a weight average molecular weight from 100 thousands to 500 thousands, and even more preferably from 100 thousands to 300 thousands.
- the weight average molecular weight is, for example, 100 thousands, 150 thousands, 200 thousands, 250 thousands, 300 thousands, 350 thousands, 400 thousands, 450 thousands, and 500 thousands or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the random copolymer has a tensile modulus of elasticity preferably from 400 to 1600 MPa and more preferably from 1000 to 1600 MPa. This is because the shape restorability is particularly good with a tensile modulus of elasticity in such range.
- the tensile modulus of elasticity is, for example, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, and 1600 Mpa or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the outer layer 11 may be formed by mixing a softening material, such as linear low-density polyethylene, for example, to the random copolymer.
- a softening material such as linear low-density polyethylene
- the material to be mixed with the random copolymer is preferably mixed to be less than 50 weight% based on the entire mixture.
- the outer layer 11 may be formed of a material having the random copolymer and linear low-density polyethylene mixed at a weight ratio of 85:15.
- the inner layer 13 includes an EVOH layer 13c provided on a container outer surface side, an inner surface layer 13d provided on a container inner surface side of the EVOH layer 13c, and an adhesion layer 13e provided between the EVOH layer 13c and the inner surface layer 13d.
- the adhesion layer 13e may be omitted.
- the EVOH layer 13c is a layer containing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) resin and is obtained by hydrolysis of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.
- the EVOH resin has an ethylene content, for example, from 25 to 50 mol%, and from the perspective of oxygen barrier properties, it is preferably 32 mol% or less.
- the lower limit of the ethylene content is preferably 25 mol% or more because the flexibility of the EVOH layer 13c is prone to decrease when the ethylene content is less.
- the EVOH layer 13c preferably contains an oxygen absorbent. The content of an oxygen absorbent in the EVOH layer 13c further improves the oxygen barrier properties of the EVOH layer 13c.
- the inner surface layer 13d is a layer to make contact with the contents of the delaminatable container 1. It contains, for example, polyolefin, such as low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, and a mixture thereof, and preferably low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene.
- the resin contained in the inner surface layer 13d preferably has a tensile modulus of elasticity from 50 to 300 MPa and more preferably from 70 to 200 MPa. This is because the inner surface layer 13d is particularly flexible when the tensile modulus of elasticity is in such range. Specifically, the tensile modulus of elasticity is, for example, specifically for example, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 Mpa or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- the adhesion layer 13e is a layer having a function of adhering the EVOH layer 13c to the inner surface layer 13d, and it is, for example, a product of adding acid modified polyolefin (e.g., maleic anhydride modified polyethylene) with carboxyl groups introduced therein to polyolefin described above or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA).
- acid modified polyolefin e.g., maleic anhydride modified polyethylene
- EVA ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer
- An example of the adhesion layer 13e is a mixture of acid modified polyethylene with low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene.
- the fourth embodiment of the present invention is described.
- the present embodiment is similar to the third embodiment and mainly differs in that a tilt suppressor is provided in a cap 23.
- the mouth 9 has no protrusion 9h.
- the configuration of the cap 23 is different from the reference example in Fig. 19 in that an end 23l includes a protrusion 23k.
- a gap G between the cap 23 and the mouth 9 at the end 23l is thus narrowed to suppress the tilt of the cap 23 relative to the mouth 9.
- the protrusion 23k functions as "the tilt suppressor" in the appended claims.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a delaminatable container having an inner layer delaminating from an outer layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, a method of mounting a cap to the delaminatable container, and a method of manufacturing a delaminatable container.
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PTL 1 discloses configuration of a cap mounted to a beverage bottle. To suppress deformation of bottle in factories, such a cap is generally mounted to a mouth of a bottle while a support ring provided in the mouth of the bottle is supported by a support piece. - In addition, delaminatable containers are known that inhibit entrance of air inside the container by an inner layer delaminated from an outer layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents (e.g., PTLs 2 to 3). Such a delaminatable container is provided with an inner bag composed of an inner layer and an outer shell composed of an outer layer. The delaminatable container is generally used by mounting a cap with a check valve to a mouth of a container body.
- Such a container body is generally manufactured by blow molding using a tubular laminated parison. The container body has the bottom provided with a sealing portion formed by welding an end of the laminated parison. Since this sealing portion is not resistant to impact, it is provided to protrude from the bottom surface of the container in order to increase the strength. In
PTL 3, to increase the strength of the sealing portion even more, welded layers in a sealing portion are welded to be engaged with each other by a plurality of penetration portions. -
- PTL 1:
JP 11-292112A - PTL 2: Japanese Patent No.
3650175 - PTL 3: Japanese Patent No.
3401519 - In order to suppress deformation of delaminatable container as well when a cap is mounted to the container, the present inventors investigated the possibility of providing a support ring of the same configuration as that in
PTL 1 in a mouth of the container. The delaminatable container however has two-layer configuration of an inner layer and an outer layer even in the mouth. They thus found that the support ring is provided in the mouth, causing the inner layer to be caught by the outer layer in the area of the support ring and sometimes causing difficulty in delamination of the inner layer from the outer layer. - The first aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container that is capable of suppressing deformation of the container when a cap is mounted without providing a support ring.
- The contents in the container are discharged from a cap provided in the mouth of the container by compressing the outer shell. The cap is provided with a check valve. Even when the volume of the contents in the inner bag decreases with the discharge of the contents, fresh air is not introduced into the inner bag and the inner bag is thus shrunk. Meanwhile, to restore the original shape of the outer shell when a compressive force is not applied to the outer shell, a fresh air inlet is provided to introduce fresh air into a space between the outer shell and the inner bag. When the container is small in size or in a similar case, however, the inner bag is not sometimes shrunk smoothly.
- The second aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container having an inner bag to be shrunk smoothly.
- To achieve the configuration in
PTL 3, a die is required to have a pin to press a parison welded layer. This causes a more complex die structure, leading to an increase in production cost. It is thus desired to reinforce the sealing portion by simpler configuration. - The third aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a method of manufacturing a delaminatable container excellent in productivity.
- The contents in the container are discharged from a cap provided in the mouth of the container by compressing the outer shell. The cap is provided with a check valve. Even when the volume of the contents in the inner bag decreases with the discharge of the contents, fresh air is not introduced into the inner bag and the inner bag is thus shrunk. Meanwhile, to restore the original shape of the outer shell when a compressive force is not applied to the outer shell, a fresh air inlet is provided to introduce fresh air into a space between the outer shell and the inner bag. Depending on the container shape and the fresh air inlet position, however, the inner bag may not be readily shrunk or the outer shell may not readily restore its shape.
- The fourth aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container having an inner bag to be shrunk immediately and an outer shell to restore its original shape immediately.
- The present inventors performed a test by mounting a press-fit cap to a container body of a delaminatable container and found that fresh air sometimes entered inside the container body through a gap between the container body and the cap. Since entrance of fresh air inside the container body causes acceleration of content degradation, it is desired to inhibit entrance of fresh air inside the container body.
- The fifth aspect of the present invention has made in view of such circumstances to provide a delaminatable container that is capable of inhibiting entrance of fresh air inside the container body.
- A description is given below to solutions to the problems in the first to fifth aspects. The solutions in the first to fifth aspects below may be combined with each other.
- The first aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container, including a container body having a storage portion to store contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the storage portion and the mouth having an outer layer and an inner layer, and having an inner bag composed of the inner layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, wherein the mouth includes an engagement section to be engaged with a cap mounted to the mouth and a constriction section provided on a storage portion side from the engagement section and constricting inside the mouth, the mouth includes an upright wall extending from an outer edge of an upper wall of the constriction section at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to the upper wall, and a gap is provided between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the upright wall.
- The present inventors made an intensive investigation on a method for supporting a mouth of a container body by a support without providing a support ring and found that deformation of the container when a cap is mounted is inhibited by providing a constriction section constricting inside the mouth on a lower side from an engagement section to be engaged with the cap mounted to the mouth instead of providing a flanged support ring to support an upper wall of the constriction section by a support.
- They also found that the inner layer is prevented from being caught in the outer layer by providing an upright wall extending from an outer edge of the upper wall of the constriction section at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to the upper wall and providing a gap between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the upright wall to have come to complete the first aspect of the present invention.
- Various embodiments in the first aspect of the present invention are described below as examples. The embodiments below may be combined with each other.
- Preferably, the upper wall extends approximately vertically to a central axis of the mouth.
- Preferably, the upright wall has an angle between 60 and 120 degrees relative to the upper wall.
- Preferably, the container further includes a facing wall extending inside the mouth from an upper edge of the upright wall, wherein a gap is provided between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the facing wall.
- Preferably, the facing wall has an angle between -10 and 80 degrees relative to the upper wall.
- Preferably, the mouth includes an abutment section to abut on an inner ring of the cap, and the abutment section is provided in an area closer to an outlet of the mouth than the engagement section.
- Preferably, the mouth circumferentially has a first region provided with the constriction section and a second region provided without the constriction section or provided with a minor constriction section having a constriction amount less than that of the constriction section in the first region, and the second region of the mouth is provided with a fresh air inlet to introduce fresh air into an intermediate space between the outer layer and the inner layer.
- Preferably, the fresh air inlet is provided in a position closer to an outlet of the mouth than the upper wall.
- Another aspect of the first aspect of the present invention provides a method of mounting a cap to the container above including mounting the cap to the mouth while the mouth is supported by having a support to support the mouth abut on a lower surface of the upper wall when the cap is mounted to the mouth.
- The second aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, wherein the inner bag is composed of an inner layer including an innermost layer to contact with the contents and a cover layer slidable over the innermost layer.
- The delaminatable container in the second aspect of the present invention has an inner layer configured to include an innermost layer to contact with the contents and a cover layer slidable over the innermost layer. Conventionally, configuration of a cover layer containing an EVOH resin or the like with high oxygen barrier properties integrated with an innermost layer by adhesion has been generally employed. The high rigidity of the EVOH resin accordingly causes difficulty in deformation of the inner layer having the cover layer integrated with the innermost layer and the inner bag is sometimes not smoothly shrunk. In contrast, in the second aspect of the present invention, the innermost layer is not adhered to the cover layer and the innermost layer is slidable over the cover layer. The innermost layer may be accordingly deformed relatively freely even when the cover layer has higher rigidity, and the inner bag is thus shrunk smoothly.
- Various embodiments in the second aspect of the present invention are described below as examples. The embodiments below may be combined with each other.
- Preferably, the cover layer contains an EVOH resin.
- The third aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a delaminatable container, the container including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, the container body having a storage portion to store the contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion and also having a central recessed region provided in approximate center of a bottom surface of the storage portion and a peripheral region provided surrounding the central recessed region, the central recessed region recessed toward the mouth more than the peripheral region, the method including: sealing portion forming, in blow molding of a tubular laminated parison including an outer layer constituting the outer shell and an inner layer constituting the inner bag, forming a sealing portion of the laminated parison into a thin film in the central recessed region to protrude beyond a plane defined by the peripheral region; and
sealing portion processing, bending or melting the sealing portion to accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region. - In the third aspect of the present invention, a sealing portion in a thin film shape is formed by compressing a laminated parison to protrude from a central recessed region provided in a bottom surface of the storage portion of the container body, and the sealing portion is subjected to bending or melting to reinforce the sealing portion and also accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region. When the delaminatable container is a small container such as an eye drop container, the central recessed region is also recessed in a smaller amount and it is not easy to accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region. In the third aspect of the present invention, the sealing portion is in a thin film shape, which facilitates accommodation of the sealing portion in the central recessed region by bending or melting.
- Various embodiments in the third aspect of the present invention are described below as examples. The embodiments below may be combined with each other.
- Preferably, the sealing portion is formed to have a maximum thickness of 1/3 or less of a thickness of the laminated parison.
- Preferably, the sealing portion is formed to have an entirely uniform thickness.
- The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container, including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, wherein the container body includes a storage portion to store the contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the outer shell includes a fresh air inlet, in the storage portion, communicating an external space with an intermediate space between the outer shell and the inner bag, the storage portion includes a more rigid portion and a less rigid portion with less rigidity than that of the more rigid portion, and the fresh air inlet is provided on a less rigid portion side.
- When the delaminatable container in the fourth aspect of the present invention is compressed, the less rigid portion is preferentially pressed and greatly deformed, causing noticeable inner layer delamination on the less rigid portion side. In addition, a fresh air inlet is provided on the less rigid portion side to immediately introduce fresh air in inner layer delamination on the less rigid portion side, causing inner layer delamination to proceed much more immediately and the outer shell to restore its original shape immediately.
- Various embodiments in the fourth aspect of the present invention are described below as examples. The embodiments below may be combined with each other.
- Preferably, the storage portion has a tubular portion in a tubular shape and a panel portion formed by depressing a portion of the tubular portion, and the panel portion is the more rigid portion and the tubular portion is the less rigid portion.
- Preferably, in the tubular portion, the fresh air inlet is provided in a position facing the panel portion.
- The fifth aspect of the present invention provides a delaminatable container, including: a container body and a press-fit cap mounted to the container body, wherein the container body is configured to include a storage portion to store contents and a mouth having an opening to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the storage portion and the mouth having an outer layer and an inner layer, and having an inner bag composed of the inner layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, the mouth includes a mouth-side engagement section provided along an outer circumference of the mouth, the cap includes a cap-side engagement section provided along an inner circumference of the cap, the mouth-side engagement section and the cap-side engagement section are configured to be engageable with each other while the cap is mounted to the mouth, and at least one of the cap and the mouth includes a tilt suppressor to suppress a tilt of the cap relative to the mouth by narrowing a gap between the mouth and the cap in a position more distant from the opening than the cap-side engagement section while the cap is mounted to the mouth.
- The present inventors investigated the cause of fresh air entrance and found that a cap sometimes tends to tilt relative to the mouth depending on the shape of the mouth of the container body and the shape of the press-fit cap and the cause is the tendency to form a gap between the cap and the mouth due to the tilt of the cap. Based on the findings, the inventors found that entrance of fresh air inside the container body is inhibited by providing a tilt suppressor to suppress the tilt of the cap relative to the mouth to have come to complete the fifth aspect of the present invention.
- Various embodiments in the fifth aspect of the present invention are described below as examples. The embodiments below may be combined with each other.
- Preferably, the tilt suppressor is a mouth-side protrusion provided on the outer circumference of the mouth.
- Preferably, the container further includes a constriction section constricting inside the mouth provided on a storage portion side from the mouth-side engagement section, wherein the mouth-side protrusion is provided between an upper wall of the constriction section and the mouth-side engagement section.
- Preferably, the tilt suppressor is a cap-side protrusion provided on the inner circumference of the cap.
- Preferably, the storage portion includes a fresh air inlet communicating an external space with an intermediate space between the outer layer and the inner layer.
-
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Figs. 1A and 1B are perspective views illustrating the structure of acontainer body 3 of adelaminatable container 1 in a first embodiment of the present invention. -
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where avalve member 4 is mounted to thecontainer body 3 inFigs. 1A and 1B and a sealingportion 27a is subjected to bending to form abottom sealing portion 27. -
Figs. 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views corresponding toFig. 2 illustrating a procedure of mounting acap 23 to amouth 9 of thecontainer body 3 inFigs. 1A to 2 . -
Figs. 4A to 4C are cross-sectional views corresponding toFigs. 3A to 3C illustrating amouth 9 and acap 23 in a first modification of the first embodiment. -
Figs. 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views corresponding toFigs. 3A to 3C illustrating amouth 9 and acap 23 in a second modification of the first embodiment. -
Fig. 6A is a front view of atube 5,Fig. 6B is a bottom view of thetube 5,Fig. 6C is an A-A cross-sectional view,Fig. 6D is a B-B cross-sectional view,Fig. 6E is a cross-sectional view of thevalve member 4,Fig. 6F is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of mounting thevalve member 4 to anouter shell 12, andFig. 8G is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where amobile part 6 abuts on astopper 5h to close acavity 5g. -
Figs. 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views illustrating examples of using a sealingmember 8 as a cover. -
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating configuration of aninner layer 13. -
Figs. 9A to 9C illustrate amouth 9 of acontainer body 3 in a second embodiment of the present invention, whereFig. 9A is a cross-sectional view corresponding to a section A-A inFig. 2 andFigs. 9B to 9C are a B-B cross sectional view and a C-C cross sectional view inFig. 9A . -
Figs. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views illustrating a state where acap 23 is mounted to amouth 9 inFigs. 9B to 9C . -
Figs. 11A to 11C illustrate amouth 9 of acontainer body 3 in a first modification of the second embodiment, whereFig. 11A is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the section A-A inFig. 2 andFigs. 11B and 11C are a B-B cross sectional view and a C-C cross sectional view inFig. 11A . -
Figs. 12A to 12C illustrate amouth 9 of acontainer body 3 in a second modification of the second embodiment, whereFig. 12A is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the section A-A inFig. 2 andFigs. 12B and 12C are a B-B cross sectional view and a C-C cross sectional view inFig. 12A . -
Figs. 13A to 13C illustrate amouth 9 of acontainer body 3 in a third modification of the second embodiment, whereFig. 13A is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the section A-A inFig. 2 andFigs. 13B and 13C are a B-B cross sectional view and a C-C cross sectional view inFig. 13A . -
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Figs. 14A and 14B illustrate adelaminatable container 1 in a third embodiment of the present invention, whereFig. 14A is a front view in the state where acap 23 and avalve member 4 are mounted to acontainer body 3 andFig. 14B is a front view only illustrating thecontainer body 3. -
Fig. 15A is an A-A cross-sectional view inFig. 14A ,Fig. 15B is a cross-sectional view in the state where acap cover 23m of thecap 23 inFig. 15A is opened, andFig. 15C is a cross-sectional view illustrating amouth 9 extracted fromFig. 15A . -
Figs. 16A and 16B are cross-sectional views corresponding toFig. 15A to illustrate a procedure of mounting thecap 23 to themouth 9. -
Fig. 17A is a perspective view of avalve member 4 andFigs. 17B and17C are cross-sectional views illustrating motion of thevalve member 4. -
Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating layer configuration of aninner layer 13. -
Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view corresponding toFig. 15A illustrating amouth 9 and acap 23 in a reference example of the present invention. -
Figs. 20A and 20B are cross-sectional views corresponding toFig. 15A illustrating amouth 9 and acap 23 in a fourth embodiment of the present invention. - Embodiments of the present invention are described below. Various characteristics in the embodiments described below may be combined with each other. Each characteristic is independently inventive. Descriptions are given to embodiments in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention first, and then to embodiments in the fifth aspect of the present invention. The characteristics described in the embodiments of the first to fourth aspects may be combined with the characteristics described in embodiments of the fifth aspect.
- As illustrated in
Figs. 1A through 2D , adelaminatable container 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention is provided with acontainer body 3 and avalve member 4. Thecontainer body 3 is provided with astorage portion 7 to store the contents and amouth 9 to deliver the contents from thestorage portion 7. - As illustrated in
Fig. 2 , thecontainer body 3 includes anouter layer 11 and aninner layer 13 in thestorage portion 7 and themouth 9, where theouter layer 11 constitutes anouter shell 12 and theinner layer 13 constitutes aninner bag 14. Due to separation of theinner layer 13 from theouter layer 11 with a decrease in the contents, theinner bag 14 separates from theouter shell 12 to be shrunk. Preliminary delamination is sometimes performed to delaminate theinner layer 13 from theouter layer 11 prior to storage of the contents in thestorage portion 7. In this case, theinner layer 13 is contacted with theouter layer 11 by blowing air or storing the contents in thestorage portion 7 after preliminary delamination. Theinner layer 13 then separates from theouter layer 11 with a decrease in the contents. Meanwhile, when preliminary delamination is not performed, theinner layer 13 is delaminated from theouter layer 11 in discharge of the contents to separate from theouter layer 11. - The
mouth 9 includes anengagement section 9d. In the present embodiment, themouth 9 is assumed to have a press-fit cap 23 mounted thereto as illustrated inFigs. 3A to 3C . Theengagement section 9d is a ring-shaped projection to be engaged with anengagement section 23c of thecap 23. Note that, in other embodiments, a cap, a pump, or the like with an internal thread may be mounted to themouth 9, and in such a case, theengagement section 9d is configured with an external thread. - The
mouth 9 also includes aconstriction section 9c constricting inside themouth 9 on thestorage portion 7 side from theengagement section 9d. Theconstriction section 9c has anupper wall 9e extending approximately vertically to a central axis C of themouth 9. Themouth 9 also includes anupright wall 9f extending from an outer edge of theupper wall 9e at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to theupper wall 9e. Theupright wall 9f has an angle to theupper wall 9e preferably from 60 to 120 degrees and more preferably from 75 to 105 degrees. In the present embodiment, theupright wall 9f approximately vertically extends to theupper wall 9e. Between aninner layer 13e at theupper wall 9e and aninner layer 13f at theupright wall 9f, a gap is provided and theinner layer 13e and theinner layer 13f are not integrated. In other words, theinner layer 13 is not caught in anouter layer 11e at theupper wall 9e and anouter layer 11f at theupright wall 9f. - In addition, a facing
wall 9g is provided extending from an upper edge of theupright wall 9f inside the mouth 9 (in the central axis C direction). The facingwall 9g is at an angle to theupper wall 9e for example, but not particularly limited to, from -10 to 80 degrees and of approximately 30 degrees in the present embodiment. Between theinner layer 13e at theupper wall 9e and aninner layer 13g at the facingwall 9g, a gap is provided and theinner layer 13e and theinner layer 13g are not integrated. In other words, theinner layer 13 is not caught in theouter layer 11e at theupper wall 9e and anouter layer 11g at the facingwall 9g. - As just described, in the present embodiment, the
inner layer 13 is not confined to theouter layer 11 in themouth 9, and theinner layer 13 thus smoothly delaminates from theouter layer 11. - Next, with reference to
Figs. 3A to 3C , a method of mounting thecap 23 to themouth 9 is described. Thecap 23 to be mounted includes a cap body (body portion) 23a, anoutlet 23b provided in thecap body 23a, theengagement section 23c provided at an approximate end of a tubular portion (outer circumference portion) 23f cylindrically extending from thecap body 23a, aninner ring 23d cylindrically extending from thecap body 23a inside thetubular portion 23f, aflow passage 23g provided inside theinner ring 23d and communicating with theoutlet 23b, and acheck valve 23e provided in theflow passage 23g. While thecap 23 is mounted to themouth 9, the contents in thestorage portion 7 are discharged from theoutlet 23b through theflow passage 23g. Meanwhile, thecheck valve 23e blocks an incoming flow of fresh air from theoutlet 23b, and fresh air does not enter inside theinner bag 14 of thecontainer body 3 to inhibit content degradation. The structure of thecap 23 described here is merely an example, and for example, acap 23 having a check valve of another configuration may be employed. - For mounting of the
cap 23, first, to suppress deformation of thestorage portion 7 due to the impact of mounting thecap 23, as illustrated inFig. 3A , asupport 10 is brought to abut on a lower surface of theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c. In that state, as illustrated inFigs. 3B to 3C , theengagement section 23c of thecap 23 is engaged with theengagement section 9d of themouth 9. When theengagement section 23c passes over theengagement section 9d from the state inFig. 3B , thetubular portion 23f of thecap 23 transforms to enlarge the diameter and themouth 9 transforms to reduce the diameter, and thus it is easier to mount thecap 23 when themouth 9 readily transforms. Themouth 9 in the present embodiment is however not provided with a support ring as disclosed inJP 11-292112A mouth 9 is supported by having thesupport 10 abutting on the lower surface of theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c. Themouth 9 thus readily transforms, and mounting of thecap 23 is facilitated. In addition, since themouth 9 readily transforms, theinner bag 14 readily transforms in the area near a container opening and it helps to use the contents up. - The
mouth 9 also includes anabutment section 9a on which an outer surface of theinner ring 23d abuts. Leakage of the contents is prevented by the outer surface of theinner ring 23d abutting on theabutment section 9a of themouth 9. In the present embodiment, themouth 9 is equipped with anenlarged diameter portion 9b at the end. Theenlarged diameter portion 9b has an inner diameter greater than the inner diameter in anabutment portion 9a, and thus the outer surface of theinner ring 23d does not make contact with theenlarged diameter portion 9b. When themouth 9 does not have theenlarged diameter portion 9b, a defect sometimes occurs in which theinner ring 23d enters between theouter layer 11 and theinner layer 13 in the case where themouth 9 has an even slightly smaller inner diameter due to variations in manufacturing. In contrast, when themouth 9 has theenlarged diameter portion 9b, such defect does not occur even in the case where themouth 9 has a slightly varied inner diameter. - Even when the
mouth 9 includes theenlarged diameter portion 9b, there is a risk of delamination of theinner layer 13 from theouter layer 11 due to the friction between theinner ring 23d and theabutment section 9a. In the present embodiment, however, theconstriction section 9c is provided in a position closer to thestorage portion 7 than theabutment section 9a to inhibit slipping off of theinner layer 13 by theconstriction section 9c. Dropping of theinner bag 14 into theouter shell 12 is thus inhibited. Theconstriction section 9c thus has a function of inhibiting slipping off of theinner layer 13 and also has a function as a support area for themouth 9 by thesupport 10 when thecap 23 is mounted. - Here, with reference to
Figs. 4A to 5C , amouth 9 and acap 23 in the first to second modifications of the first embodiment are described. - The first modification illustrated in
Figs. 4A to 4C mainly differs in the position of anabutment section 9a from the configuration inFigs. 3A to 3C . In the configuration ofFigs. 3A to 3C , theabutment section 9a is in a position closer to the container opening than theengagement section 9d, whereas in the configuration ofFigs. 4A to 4C , theabutment section 9a is distant from the container opening relative to theengagement section 9d and is provided between theengagement section 9d and theconstriction section 9c. Although either configuration may be applied, the configuration inFigs. 3A to 3C is more advantageous in that, in addition to the volume of thecontainer body 3 can be effectively used, theinner layer 13 is delaminatable in a position closer to the container opening to discharge the contents fully. - The second modification illustrated in
Figs. 5A to 5C mainly differs in a facingwall 9g approximately parallel to the anupper wall 9e to form a horizontally-flipped approximate U shape by theupper wall 9e, anupright wall 9f, and the facingwall 9g from the configuration inFigs. 3A to 3C . In such configuration, a gap is provided between the inner layers13e, 13f, 13g and they are not integrated, and the actions and effects are thus obtained that are same as those in the configuration ofFigs. 3A to 3C . In the configuration ofFigs. 5A to 5C , a shorter distance between theupper wall 9e and the facingwall 9g tends to cause contact of theinner layer 13e with theinner layer 13g to be integrated. The distance between the lower surface of theupper wall 9e and an upper surface of the facingwall 9g is preferably 2.5 times or more of the thickness of theupper wall 9e (total thickness of theouter layer 11e and theinner layer 13e). In this case, a gap with approximately half thickness of the thickness of theupper wall 9e is formed between theinner layer 13e and theinner layer 13g. - As illustrated in
Figs. 1A to 2 , thestorage portion 7 is in an approximately cylindrical shape and has atubular portion 7b in a tubular shape and apanel portion 7c formed by depressing a portion of thetubular portion 7b. Since thecontainer body 3 is formed by blow molding of a tubular (e.g., cylindrical) laminated parison, thecontainer body 3 has a smaller thickness in an area at a greater blow ratio (an area more distant from the central axis C). Since thepanel portion 7c is closer to the central axis C than thetubular portion 7b, it has a greater thickness than that of thetubular portion 7b. Thepanel portion 7c accordingly has greater rigidity than that of thetubular portion 7b, and thepanel portion 7c becomes a more rigid portion and thetubular portion 7b becomes a less rigid portion. - The contents in the
storage portion 7 are discharged by deformation due to compression of thestorage portion 7. When thetubular portion 7b and thepanel portion 7c are pinched to compress thestorage portion 7, the less rigidtubular portion 7b is preferentially deformed and the amount of deformation in thetubular portion 7b is greater than that in thepanel portion 7c. Since theinner layer 13 tends to be delaminated from theouter layer 11 in the area of a greater amount of deformation, delamination of theinner layer 13 tends to preferentially proceed in thetubular portion 7b. In the present embodiment, theouter shell 12 includes afresh air inlet 15, in thestorage portion 7, communicating an external space S of thecontainer body 3 with anintermediate space 21 between theouter shell 12 and theinner bag 14. Since thefresh air inlet 15 is provided on the tubular portion (less rigid portion) 7b side, fresh air is smoothly introduced into theintermediate space 21 between theouter shell 12 and theinner bag 14 when theinner layer 13 is delaminated and theinner layer 13 is smoothly delaminated from theouter layer 11. Accordingly, theinner bag 14 is smoothly shrunk when thestorage portion 7 is compressed and theouter shell 12 smoothly restores its original shape when the compressive force is removed. - While the
fresh air inlet 15 may be provided in an arbitrary position of the tubular portion (less rigid portion) 7b, it is preferably provided in a position facing thepanel portion 7c. This is because, whentubular portion 7b and thepanel portion 7c are pinched to compress thestorage portion 7, thetubular portion 7b is most greatly deformed in the position facing thepanel portion 7c. - In the present embodiment, the
fresh air inlet 15 includes thevalve member 4 to regulate entrance and exit of air between theintermediate space 21 and the external space S. Thevalve member 4 is mounted to a valvemember mounting recess 7a provided in thestorage portion 7. When thestorage portion 7 is compressed, thevalve member 4 of is closed to block an air flow from theintermediate space 21 to the external space S and thus has a function of increasing the pressure in theintermediate space 21 to facilitate transmission of the pressure exerted on theouter shell 12 to theinner bag 14. Accordingly, even when the contents in theinner bag 14 are decreased, the contents are readily discharged. In contrast, when the compressive force applied to thestorage portion 7 is removed, thevalve member 4 is opened and has a function of passing therethrough the air from the external space S to theintermediate space 21. Accordingly, fresh air is introduced into theintermediate space 21 and theouter shell 12 smoothly restores its original shape. Thevalve member 4 is not an essential component because, even with novalve member 4, theinner bag 14 can be directly compressed through theouter shell 12 by greatly deforming theouter shell 12. - As just described, the
valve member 4 may have a function of opening and closing thefresh air inlet 15, and the configuration examples include a configuration where thevalve member 4 itself is provided with a through hole and an on-off valve, which acts to open and close the through hole for opening and closing of thefresh air inlet 15 and a configuration where a gap between thevalve member 4 and an edge of thefresh air inlet 15 is opened and closed by movement of thevalve member 4 for opening and closing of thefresh air inlet 15 by thevalve member 4. Theformer valve member 4 is suitably applied to a particularly small container, such as an eye drop container, because thevalve member 4 functions with no problem even when the size of thefresh air inlet 15 is somewhat varied. - Here, with reference to
Figs. 2 and7A to 7B , an example of thevalve member 4 is described. Thevalve member 4 is provided with atube 5 having acavity 5g provided to communicate the external space S with theintermediate space 21 and amobile part 6 movably stored in thecavity 5g. Thetube 5 and themobile part 6 are formed by injection molding or the like, and themobile part 6 is disposed in thecavity 5g by pressing themobile part 6 into thecavity 5g to pass over astopper 5h described later. In the present embodiment, thecavity 5g has an approximately cylindrical shape and themobile part 6 has an approximately spherical shape while they may have another shape as long as the shape is capable of achieving same functions as those in the present embodiment. Thecavity 5g has a diameter in a horizontal cross section (cross section inFig. 6D ) slightly larger than the corresponding diameter of themobile part 6 and has a shape allowing themobile part 6 to freely move in arrow B directions inFig. 6C . A value of the ratio defined by the diameter of thecavity 5g in the horizontal cross section / the corresponding diameter of themobile part 6 is preferably from 1.01 to 1.2 and more preferably from 1.05 to 1.15. This is because a too small value of the ratio causes interference with smooth movement of themobile part 6 and a too large value of this ratio causes an excessive increase in the gap between themobile part 6 and asurface 5j surrounding thecavity 5g and thus an insufficient force tends to be applied to themobile part 6 for compression of thecontainer body 3. - The
tube 5 has astem 5a disposed in thefresh air inlet 15, a lockingportion 5b provided on the external space S side of thestem 5a and preventing entrance of thetube 5 into theintermediate space 21, and a diametrically expandedportion 5c provided on theintermediate space 21 side of thestem 5a and preventing drawing of thetube 5 from outside thecontainer body 3. Thestem 5a has a tapered shape towards theintermediate space 21 side. That is, thestem 5a has an outer circumferential surface providing a tapered surface. The outer circumferential surface of thestem 5a closely contacts with an edge of thefresh air inlet 15 to mount thetube 5 to thecontainer body 3. Such configuration allows reduction in the gap between thetube 5 and the edge of thefresh air inlet 15. As a result, when thecontainer body 3 is compressed, it is possible to inhibit leakage of the air in theintermediate space 21 from the gap between thetube 5 and the edge of thefresh air inlet 15. Thetube 5 is mounted to thecontainer body 3 by making the outer circumferential surface of thestem 5a close contact with the edge of thefresh air inlet 15, and the diametrically expandedportion 5c is thus not essential. - The
surface 5j surrounding thecavity 5g is provided with astopper 5h to lock themobile part 6 in movement of themobile part 6 from theintermediate space 21 side towards the external space S side. Thestopper 5h is configured with an annular projection, and when themobile part 6 abuts on thestopper 5h, to block air communication through thecavity 5g. - The
tube 5 has an end providing aflat surface 5d, and theflat surface 5d is provided with anopening 5e in communication with thecavity 5g. Theopening 5e has an approximately circular central opening 5e1 provided at the center of theflat surface 5d and a plurality of slits 5e2 radially extending from the central opening 5e1. Such configuration does not interfere with air flow even when themobile part 6 abuts on the bottom of thecavity 5g. - As illustrated in
Fig. 6F , when thevalve member 4 is inserted into thefresh air inlet 15 from the diametrically expandedportion 5c side and the lockingportion 5b is pressed into a position to abut on an outer surface of theouter shell 12, the outer circumferential surface of thestem 5a is held in theouter shell 12 in close contact with the edge of thefresh air inlet 15. When theouter shell 12 is compressed while air is in theintermediate space 21, the air in theintermediate space 21 enters into thecavity 5g through theopening 5e and causes themobile part 6 to be lifted and abut on thestopper 5h. When themobile part 6 abuts on thestopper 5h, the air flow through thecavity 5g is blocked. - When the
outer shell 12 is further compressed in this state, the pressure in theintermediate space 21 is increased, and as a result, theinner bag 14 is compressed to deliver the contents in theinner bag 14. When the compressive force to theouter shell 12 is released, theouter shell 12 attempts to restore its shape by the elasticity of its own. The pressure in theintermediate space 21 is reduced with the restoration of theouter shell 12, and as illustrated inFig. 6G , a force Fl in direction inside the container is applied to themobile part 6. This causes themobile part 6 to move towards the bottom of thecavity 5g to the state illustrated inFig. 6F . Fresh air is thus introduced in theintermediate space 21 through theopening 5e and the gap between themobile part 6 and thesurface 5j. - The
valve member 4 is allowed to be mounted to thecontainer body 3 by inserting the diametrically expandedportion 5c into theintermediate space 21 while pressing and expanding thefresh air inlet 15 by the diametrically expandedportion 5c. The diametrically expandedportion 5c thus has an end preferably in a tapered shape. Being mounted only by pressing the diametrically expandedportion 5c into theintermediate space 21 from outside thecontainer body 3,such valve member 4 is excellent in productivity. Since thetube 5 has an end provided with theflat surface 5d, theinner bag 14 is not easily damaged even when thevalve member 4 is pressed into theintermediate space 21 and the end of thevalve member 4 collides with theinner bag 14. - The container may be configured to provide a cover preventing introduction of fresh air into the
intermediate space 21 by covering the surroundings of thevalve member 4 and thefresh air inlet 15 with thevalve member 4 mounted thereto. Such configuration prevents entrance of an odorous gas in a factory into theintermediate space 21 during production. For example, after theinner bag 14 is filled with the contents, the cover may be mounted in a clean atmosphere. Such configuration allows prevention of, for sterilization of the container in high temperature steam, entrance of the steam from thefresh air inlet 15 into theintermediate space 21, causing water remained in theintermediate space 21. While thevalve member 4 and thefresh air inlet 15 are covered with the cover, fresh air is not introduced in theintermediate space 21 and theouter shell 12 does not restore its shape after compression. Users are thus supposed to use the container in a state of removing the cover. - As illustrated in
Figs. 7A and 7B , specific configuration examples include a configuration of providing a sealingmember 8 to be adhered around thevalve member 4 and thefresh air inlet 15. In the example ofFig. 7A , the sealingmember 8 is pasted over an annular convex 7d provided surrounding the valvemember mounting recess 7a. In the example ofFig. 7B , the sealingmember 8 is pasted over the annular convex 7d provided surrounding thevalve member 4 and thefresh air inlet 15 in the valvemember mounting recess 7a. The example ofFig. 7B allows avoiding of protrusion of the sealingmember 8 from the surface of theouter shell 12. - As illustrated in
Figs. 1A to 2 , thestorage portion 7 has a bottom surface 29 with a central recessedregion 29a and aperipheral region 29b provided surrounding the central recessedregion 29a. In the central recessedregion 29a, as illustrated inFig. 2 , abottom sealing portion 27 is provided that protrudes from the bottom surface 29. A method of forming thebottom sealing portion 27 is as follows. - First, as illustrated in
Fig. 1B , in blow molding of a tubular laminated parison including theouter layer 11 and theinner layer 13, a sealingportion 27a of the laminated parison is formed into a thin film to protrude beyond a plane P (illustrated inFig. 2 ) defined by theperipheral region 29b in the central recessedregion 29a (sealing portion forming procedure). The sealingportion 27a is formed by sandwiching a laminated parison with a split die for compression in blow molding. The sealingportion 27a is formed to have a maximum thickness of preferably 1/3 or less (more preferably, 1/4, 1/5, or less) of the thickness of the laminated parison. The sealingportion 27a has a thickness of, for example, from 0.1 to 0.4 mm and preferably from 0.2 to 0.3 mm. In an example, a tubular laminated parison with a thickness of 1.5 mm is compressed to 0.25 mm in the sealingportion 27a. The sealingportion 27a is preferably formed to have an entirely uniform thickness. - Next, as illustrated in
Fig. 2 , thebottom sealing portion 27 is formed by bending the sealingportion 27a to accommodate the sealingportion 27a in the central recessedregion 29a. Since the sealingportion 27a is in an extremely thin film shape, it is readily bent to be accommodated in the central recessedregion 29a. The sealingportion 27a may be subjected to melting, instead of bending. Since the sealingportion 27a is in an extremely thin film shape, it is readily melted to be accommodated in the central recessedregion 29a. - The formation of the
bottom sealing portion 27 by bending or melting the sealingportion 27a allows improvement in impact resistance on the bottom surface 29 of thecontainer body 3. In addition, thebottom sealing portion 27 does not protrude from the plane P. This prevents, when thedelaminatable container 1 is stood, inhibition of self-supportability of thedelaminatable container 1 due to thebottom seal protrusion 27 sticking out of the plane P. - As illustrated in
Fig. 1B , a recess region in the bottom surface 29 is provided across the entire bottom surface 29 in a longitudinal direction of the sealingportion 27a. That is, the central recessedregion 29a is connected to aperipheral recess region 29c. Such configuration facilitates bending of the sealingportion 27a. - The layer structure of the
container body 3 is described below in further detail. Thecontainer body 3 is provided with theouter layer 11 and theinner layer 13. Theouter layer 11 is formed thicker than theinner layer 13 so as to increase the restorability thereof. - The
outer layer 11 is formed of, for example, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, or a mixture thereof, or the like. For a container having a diameter of 30 mm or less, theouter layer 11 is preferably formed to contain low-density polyethylene. Such configuration facilitates squeeze to discharge the contained liquid. For example, theouter layer 11 may be composed of a single layer of low-density polyethylene. As another example, theouter layer 11 may be composed of a multilayer of low-density polyethylene and a recycled material using burrs generated during molding. - As illustrated in
Fig. 8 , in the present embodiment, theinner layer 13 includes aninnermost layer 13a to make contact with the contents and acover layer 13b slidable over theinnermost layer 13a. Configuration of acover layer 13b containing an EVOH resin or the like with high oxygen barrier properties integrated with theinnermost layer 13a by adhesion is generally employed. The high rigidity of the EVOH resin accordingly causes difficulty in deformation of theinner layer 13 having thecover layer 13b integrated with theinnermost layer 13a and theinner bag 14 is sometimes not smoothly shrunk. In contrast, in the present embodiment, theinnermost layer 13a is not adhered to thecover layer 13b and theinnermost layer 13a is slidable over thecover layer 13b. Theinnermost layer 13a may be accordingly deformed relatively freely even when thecover layer 13b has higher rigidity, and theinner bag 14 is thus shrunk smoothly. In addition, since theinnermost layer 13a is separated from thecover layer 13b, no problem arises as long as theinnermost layer 13a is not damaged even when thecover layer 13b is damaged by mistake during formation of thefresh air inlet 15. - When the
innermost layer 13a and thecover layer 13b are not adhered, thefresh air inlet 15 may be formed to penetrate theouter layer 11 and thecover layer 13b. In this case, fresh air is introduced even into the space between theinnermost layer 13a and thecover layer 13b. - The
innermost layer 13a is a layer to make contact with the contents of thedelaminatable container 1. It contains, for example, polyolefin, such as low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, and a mixture thereof, an EVOH resin, and the like. The resin constituting theinnermost layer 13a preferably has a tensile modulus of elasticity from 50 to 300 MPa and more preferably from 70 to 200 MPa. This is because theinnermost layer 13a is particularly flexible when the tensile modulus of elasticity is in such a range. Specifically, the tensile modulus of elasticity is, for example, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 Mpa or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. When the contents are a chemical solution, theinnermost layer 13a is preferably of polypropylene or an EVOH resin not to cause easy adsorption of the chemical components by theinnermost layer 13a. In this case, a more flexible inner layer allows smooth shrinking of the inner layer and prevention of pinholes and the like. Theinnermost layer 13a is thus particularly preferred to be formed using polypropylene. From the perspective of flexibility, a propylene random copolymer is particularly preferred for theinnermost layer 13a. The propylene random copolymer is a random copolymer of propylene and another monomer and has a content of the monomer other than propylene of less than 50 mol%, preferably from 5 to 35 mol%. Specifically, the content is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. As the monomer to be copolymerized with propylene, ethylene is particularly preferred. In the case of a propylene-ethylene random copolymer, the ethylene content is preferably from 5 to 30 mol% and specifically, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. - The
cover layer 13b is a layer provided to give oxygen barrier properties and the like and preferably contains an EVOH resin. When thecover layer 13b contains an EVOH resin, the delamination properties between theouter layer 11 and theinner layer 13 becomes good. - The EVOH resin is an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) resin and is obtained by hydrolysis of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. The EVOH resin has an ethylene content, for example, from 25 to 50 mol%, and from the perspective of oxygen barrier properties, it is preferably 32 mol% or less. Although not particularly defined, the lower limit of the ethylene content is preferably 25 mol% or more because the flexibility of the EVOH resin is prone to decrease when the ethylene content is less. The EVOH resin preferably contains an oxygen absorbent. The content of an oxygen absorbent in the EVOH resin further improves the oxygen barrier properties of the EVOH resin.
- The EVOH resin preferably has a melting point higher than the melting point of the resin contained in the
outer layer 11. When thefresh air inlet 15 is formed in theouter layer 11 using a thermal perforator, the inlet can be prevented from reaching theinner layer 13 in formation of thefresh air inlet 15 in theouter layer 11 by the EVOH resin having a melting point higher than the melting point of the resin contained in theouter layer 11. From this perspective, a greater difference of (Melting Point of EVOH) - (Melting Point of Resin contained in Outer Layer 11) is desired, and it is preferably 15°C or more and particularly preferably 30°C or more. The difference in melting points is, for example, from 5°C to 50°C. Specifically, it is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50°C or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. - As long as the appended claims do not limit the configuration of the inner layer, the configuration of the
inner layer 13 is not limited. In this case, an adhesion layer may be provided between theinnermost layer 13a and thecover layer 13b. The adhesion layer is a layer having a function of adhering thecover layer 13b to theinnermost layer 13a, and it is, for example, a product of adding acid modified polyolefin (e.g., maleic anhydride modified polyethylene) with carboxyl groups introduced therein to polyolefin described above or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). An example of the adhesion layer is a mixture of acid modified polyethylene with low-density polyethylene or linear low-density polyethylene. - With reference to
Figs. 9A to 9C , a delaminatable container in the second embodiment of the present invention is described. The second embodiment is similar to the second modification of the first embodiment and mainly differs in that afresh air inlet 15 is provided in amouth 9, that aconstriction section 9c has different configuration, and that acheck valve 23i is provided in acap 23, instead of thevalve member 4. The following description is given mainly to the differences. - In the first embodiment, the
mouth 9 is provided with theconstriction section 9c to have a uniform constriction amount across the entire circumference of themouth 9, whereas in the present embodiment, themouth 9 circumferentially has a first region R1 and a second region R2. The first region R1 is configured to include theconstriction section 9c, and the second region R2 not to include theconstriction section 9c. That is, in the present embodiment, theconstriction section 9c is provided only in part of the circumference of themouth 9. Thefresh air inlet 15 is provided in the second region R2. - The
cap 23 includes aflow passage 23h provided to communicate thefresh air inlet 15 with the external space S and thecheck valve 23i provided in theflow passage 23h. Thecheck valve 23i has functions of closing theflow passage 23h, when thestorage portion 7 is compressed, to increase the pressure in theintermediate space 21 and opening theflow passage 23h, when the compressive force applied to thestorage portion 7 is removed, to pass air therethrough flowing from the external space S to theintermediate space 21. To facilitate communication with theflow passage 23h provided in thecap 23, thefresh air inlet 15 is preferably provided in a position closer to an outlet of themouth 9 than theupper wall 9e and more preferably provided in a position closer to the outlet of themouth 9 than the facingwall 9g. - In the present embodiment, the
fresh air inlet 15 is provided in the second region R2 where theconstriction section 9c is not provided, and thus there is noconstriction section 9c between thefresh air inlet 15 provided in themouth 9 and thestorage portion 7. Accordingly, a flow passage for fresh air is more readily formed between thefresh air inlet 15 and theintermediate space 21 between theouter layer 11 and theinner layer 13 in thestorage portion 7 and thus fresh air is more readily introduced into theintermediate space 21. - In the second embodiment, the first region R1 and the second region R2 are alternately provided in two areas each on the circumference of the
mouth 9 and the first region R1 and the second region R2 are provided respectively at an angle in the range of approximately 90 degrees. Meanwhile, in the first modification, as illustrated inFigs. 11A to 11C , the first region R1 and the second region R2 are provided in one area each on the circumference of themouth 9. In such an embodiment as well, it is possible to provide thefresh air inlet 15 in the second region R2 and obtain the same actions and effects as those in the second embodiment. - In the second embodiment, the
constriction section 9c is not provided in the second region R2. Meanwhile, as illustrated inFigs. 12A to 12C , in the second modification, a minor constriction section 9c1 having a constriction amount less than that of theconstriction section 9c is provided in the second region R2. In the present modification, the minor constriction section 9c1 is between thefresh air inlet 15 and thestorage portion 7. Since the minor constriction section 9c1 has a less constriction amount, it tends not to interfere with formation of a flow passage for fresh air between thefresh air inlet 15 and theintermediate space 21. Accordingly, in the present modification as well, the actions and effects are obtained that are same as those in the second embodiment. - In the second embodiment, as illustrated in
Fig. 9A , in the first region R1 of the approximatelycylindrical mouth 9, the side wall of themouth 9 above theconstriction section 9c protrudes radially outside to form theconstriction section 9c in the first region R1. The outer circumferential shape of themouth 9 in theconstriction section 9c is accordingly approximately circular. In contrast, in the third modification, as illustrated inFigs. 13A to 13C , the side wall of the approximatelycylindrical mouth 9 in the first region R1 is depressed radially inside in theconstriction section 9c of themouth 9 to form theconstriction section 9c in the first region R1. Accordingly, themouth 9 in theconstriction section 9c has a noncircular outer circumferential shape and themouth 9 at theupright wall 9f has an approximately circular outer circumferential shape. - In the present modification as well, there is no
constriction section 9c between thefresh air inlet 15 and thestorage portion 7, and the actions and effects are thus obtained that are same as those in the second embodiment. In the present modification, the distance in the second region R2 from the central axis C themouth 9 to theinner layer 13 is larger than that in the second embodiment. Theinner layer 13 is accordingly thinner and the rigidity tends to decrease. The present modification thus has an advantage that theinner layer 13 is more readily delaminated from theouter layer 11 than that in the second embodiment. - Embodiments in the fifth aspect of the present invention are described below. In the following description, the descriptions in common with those in the embodiments in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention are omitted.
- As illustrated in
Figs. 14A to 15C , adelaminatable container 1 in the third embodiment of the present invention includes acontainer body 3, avalve member 4, a press-fit cap 23 mounted to thecontainer body 3. Thecontainer body 3 includes astorage portion 7 to store the contents and amouth 9 having an opening 9i to discharge the contents from thestorage portion 7. - As illustrated in
Figs. 15A to 15C , thecontainer body 3 includes anouter layer 11 and aninner layer 13 in thestorage portion 7 and themouth 9. Theouter layer 11 constitutes anouter shell 12 and theinner layer 13 constitutes aninner bag 14. - The
mouth 9 includes anengagement section 9d along the outer circumference of themouth 9. Themouth 9 in the present embodiment is assumed to have the press-fit cap 23 mounted thereto, and theengagement section 9d is an annular projection to be engageable with anengagement section 23c of thecap 23. - In addition, the
mouth 9 includes aconstriction section 9c constricting inside themouth 9 on thestorage portion 7 side from theengagement section 9d. Theconstriction section 9c has anupper wall 9e extending approximately vertically to a central axis C of themouth 9. - Then, with reference to
Figs. 15A to 16B , a method of mounting thecap 23 to themouth 9 is described. As illustrated inFig. 15B , thecap 23 to be mounted includes acap body 23a and acap cover 23m. Thecap body 23a and thecap cover 23m are coupled in acoupling portion 23j to allow opening and closing of thecap cover 23m. Thecap body 23a includes a top 23t, anoutlet 23b provided in the top 23t, atubular portion 23f cylindrically extending from the outer circumference of the top 23t, anengagement section 23c provided along the inner circumference of thetubular portion 23f, aninner ring 23d cylindrically extending from the top 23t inside thetubular portion 23f, aflow passage 23g provided inside theinner ring 23d and communicating with theoutlet 23b, and acheck valve 23e provided in theflow passage 23g. Theengagement section 23c is an annular projection to be engageable with theengagement section 9d of themouth 9. While thecap 23 is mounted to themouth 9, the contents in thestorage portion 7 are discharged from theoutlet 23b through theflow passage 23g. Meanwhile, thecheck valve 23e blocks an incoming flow of fresh air from theoutlet 23b, and thus fresh air does not enter theinner bag 14 of thecontainer body 3 to inhibit content degradation. The structure of thecap 23 described here is merely an example, and for example, acap 23 having a check valve of another configuration may be employed. - For mounting of the
cap 23, first, to suppress deformation of thestorage portion 7 due to the impact of mounting thecap 23, as illustrated inFig. 16A , asupport 10 is brought to abut on a lower surface of theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c. In that state, as illustrated inFig. 16B , theengagement section 23c of thecap 23 is brought to abut on theengagement section 9d of themouth 9, and from this situation, thecap 23 is pressed further. As illustrated inFig. 15A , theengagement section 23c thus passes over theengagement section 9d for engagement of theengagement section 23c with theengagement section 9d. - In the present embodiment, as illustrated in
Fig. 15C , aprotrusion 9h is provided in a position more distant from the opening 9i (position closer to the storage portion 7) than theengagement section 9d. Theprotrusion 9h is provided between theengagement section 9d and theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c. In other words, while thecap 23 is mounted to themouth 9 as illustrated inFig. 15A , theprotrusion 9h is provided in a position more distant from the opening 9i than theengagement section 23c of thecap 23. Theprotrusion 9h is formed by enlarging the diameter in the area between theengagement section 9d and theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c. - As illustrated in a reference example of
Fig. 19 , if there is noprotrusion 9h between theengagement section 9d and theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c, a large gap G is formed between an end 23l of thetubular portion 23f and themouth 9. The presence of the gap G tends to cause a tilt of thecap 23, and the tilt may cause separation of theinner ring 23d from theabutment section 9a and entrance of fresh air inside thecontainer body 3. In contrast, in the present embodiment, theprotrusion 9h is provided between theengagement section 9d and theupper wall 9e of theconstriction section 9c. There is thus only a small or no gap between the end 23l of thetubular portion 23f and themouth 9 to suppress the tilt of thecap 23 relative to themouth 9 and inhibit the entrance of fresh air inside thecontainer body 3. In the present embodiment, theprotrusion 9h functions as "the tilt suppressor" in the appended claims. Theprotrusion 9h may, or does not have to, make contact with the end 23l. Theprotrusion 9h and the end 23l in contact have an advantage of more effective suppression of the tilt of thecap 23. Meanwhile, theprotrusion 9h and the end 23l not in contact have an advantage of reduction in interference between the end 23l and theprotrusion 9h when thecap 23 is mounted to themouth 9. - The
storage portion 7 includes a valvemember mounting recess 7a composed of an inclined plane, and therecess 7a includes thefresh air inlet 15. Thefresh air inlet 15 is a through hole provided only in theouter shell 12 and communicates anintermediate space 21 between theouter shell 12 and theinner bag 14 with an external space S of thecontainer body 3. In the present embodiment, thefresh air inlet 15 has thevalve member 4 mounted thereto to regulate entrance and exit of air between theintermediate space 21 and the external space S. Therecess 7a is provided to avoid interference between thevalve member 4 and a shrink film when thestorage portion 7 is covered with the shrink film. In addition, not to tightly close therecess 7a with the shrink film, anair circulation groove 7b is provided that extends in the direction from therecess 7a to themouth 9. - As illustrated in
Figs. 17A to 17C , thevalve member 4 includes astem 4a disposed in thefresh air inlet 15, alid 4c provided on theintermediate space 21 side of thestem 4a and having a greater cross section than that of thestem 4a, and a lockingportion 4b provided on the external space S side of thestem 4a and preventing entrance of thevalve member 4 into theintermediate space 21. Thelid 4c is inserted into theintermediate space 21 while pressing and expanding thefresh air inlet 15, thereby mounting thevalve member 4 to thecontainer body 3. Accordingly, thelid 4c preferably has an end in a tapered shape. Such avalve member 4 is mountable only by pressing thelid 4c into theintermediate space 21 from outside thecontainer body 3 and is thus excellent in productivity. - The
lid 4c is configured to substantially close thefresh air inlet 15 when theouter shell 12 is compressed and has a shape of a smaller cross section as getting closer to thestem 4a. The lockingportion 4b is configured to allow introduction of air into theintermediate space 21 when theouter shell 12 restores its shape after compression. When theouter shell 12 is compressed, the pressure in theintermediate space 21 becomes higher than the external pressure, leading to leakage of air in theintermediate space 21 from thefresh air inlet 15 to the outside. This pressure difference and the air flow cause movement of thelid 4c toward thefresh air inlet 15 to, as illustrated inFig. 17B , close thefresh air inlet 15 with thelid 4c. Since thelid 4c has the shape with a smaller cross section as getting closer to thestem 4a, thelid 4c readily fits in thefresh air inlet 15 to close thefresh air inlet 15. - When the
outer shell 12 is compressed even more in this situation, the pressure in theintermediate space 21 increases, and as a result, theinner bag 14 is compressed to discharge the contents of theinner bag 14. When the compressive force to theouter shell 12 is released, theouter shell 12 attempts to restore its shape by the elasticity of its own. At this point, as illustrated inFig. 17C , thelid 4c is separated from thefresh air inlet 15 and the closure of thefresh air inlet 15 is released to introduce fresh air into theintermediate space 21. Not to close thefresh air inlet 15 with the lockingportion 4b, the lockingportion 4b includes aflow passage 4d to allow introduction of fresh air into theintermediate space 21 through theflow passage 4d and thefresh air inlet 15 even when the lockingportion 4b abuts on theouter shell 12. - The present embodiment is configured that the gap between an edge of the
fresh air inlet 15 and thevalve member 4 is opened and closed by the movement of thevalve member 4 to allow thevalve member 4 to open and close thefresh air inlet 15. Meanwhile, the valve member itself may be configured to have a through hole and an on-off valve, which acts to open and close the through hole, thereby opening and closing thefresh air inlet 15. - Then the layer structure of the
container body 3 is described in further detail. Thecontainer body 3 includes theouter layer 11 and theinner layer 13. - The
outer layer 11 is formed of, for example, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, or a mixture thereof, or the like. Theouter layer 11 may have a multilayer structure. The structure may be, for example, a configuration in which both sides of a repro layer are sandwiched by polypropylene layers. As used herein, the term "repro layer" refers to a layer formed by recycling burrs generated during container molding. Theouter layer 11 is formed thicker than theinner layer 13 so as to increase the restorability thereof. - In the present embodiment, the
outer layer 11 includes a random copolymer layer containing a random copolymer of propylene and another monomer. Theouter layer 11 may be a single layer of the random copolymer or may have a multilayer structure. It may be, for example, a configuration in which both sides of the repro layer are sandwiched by random copolymer layers. Formation of theouter layer 11 using a random copolymer of a specific configuration allows improvement in the shape restorability, transparency, and heat resistance of theouter shell 12. - The random copolymer has a content of a monomer other than propylene of less than 50 mol% and preferably from 5 to 35 mol%. Specifically, this content is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. The monomer to be copolymerized with propylene may be one that improves impact resistance of the random copolymer compared with a homopolymer of polypropylene, and ethylene is particularly preferred. In the case of a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene, the ethylene content is preferably from 5 to 30 mol%. Specifically, it is, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol% or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. The random copolymer preferably has a weight average molecular weight from 100 thousands to 500 thousands, and even more preferably from 100 thousands to 300 thousands. Specifically, the weight average molecular weight is, for example, 100 thousands, 150 thousands, 200 thousands, 250 thousands, 300 thousands, 350 thousands, 400 thousands, 450 thousands, and 500 thousands or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- The random copolymer has a tensile modulus of elasticity preferably from 400 to 1600 MPa and more preferably from 1000 to 1600 MPa. This is because the shape restorability is particularly good with a tensile modulus of elasticity in such range. Specifically, the tensile modulus of elasticity is, for example, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, and 1600 Mpa or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here.
- Since an excessively hard container causes poor usability of the container, the
outer layer 11 may be formed by mixing a softening material, such as linear low-density polyethylene, for example, to the random copolymer. Note that, in order not to severely interfere with effective properties of the random copolymer, the material to be mixed with the random copolymer is preferably mixed to be less than 50 weight% based on the entire mixture. For example, theouter layer 11 may be formed of a material having the random copolymer and linear low-density polyethylene mixed at a weight ratio of 85:15. - As illustrated in
Fig. 18 , theinner layer 13 includes anEVOH layer 13c provided on a container outer surface side, aninner surface layer 13d provided on a container inner surface side of theEVOH layer 13c, and anadhesion layer 13e provided between theEVOH layer 13c and theinner surface layer 13d. By providing theEVOH layer 13c, it is possible to improve gas barrier properties and delamination properties from theouter layer 11. Theadhesion layer 13e may be omitted. - The
EVOH layer 13c is a layer containing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) resin and is obtained by hydrolysis of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. The EVOH resin has an ethylene content, for example, from 25 to 50 mol%, and from the perspective of oxygen barrier properties, it is preferably 32 mol% or less. Although not particularly defined, the lower limit of the ethylene content is preferably 25 mol% or more because the flexibility of theEVOH layer 13c is prone to decrease when the ethylene content is less. TheEVOH layer 13c preferably contains an oxygen absorbent. The content of an oxygen absorbent in theEVOH layer 13c further improves the oxygen barrier properties of theEVOH layer 13c. - The
inner surface layer 13d is a layer to make contact with the contents of thedelaminatable container 1. It contains, for example, polyolefin, such as low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, an ethylene-propylene copolymer, and a mixture thereof, and preferably low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene. The resin contained in theinner surface layer 13d preferably has a tensile modulus of elasticity from 50 to 300 MPa and more preferably from 70 to 200 MPa. This is because theinner surface layer 13d is particularly flexible when the tensile modulus of elasticity is in such range. Specifically, the tensile modulus of elasticity is, for example, specifically for example, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 Mpa or it may be in a range between any two values exemplified here. - The
adhesion layer 13e is a layer having a function of adhering theEVOH layer 13c to theinner surface layer 13d, and it is, for example, a product of adding acid modified polyolefin (e.g., maleic anhydride modified polyethylene) with carboxyl groups introduced therein to polyolefin described above or an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). An example of theadhesion layer 13e is a mixture of acid modified polyethylene with low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene. - With reference to
Figs. 20A and 20B , the fourth embodiment of the present invention is described. The present embodiment is similar to the third embodiment and mainly differs in that a tilt suppressor is provided in acap 23. - In the present embodiment, same as the reference example in
Fig. 19 , themouth 9 has noprotrusion 9h. In contrast, the configuration of thecap 23 is different from the reference example inFig. 19 in that an end 23l includes aprotrusion 23k. A gap G between thecap 23 and themouth 9 at the end 23l is thus narrowed to suppress the tilt of thecap 23 relative to themouth 9. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, theprotrusion 23k functions as "the tilt suppressor" in the appended claims. - The present invention is allowed to be carried out in the following embodiments:
- the
protrusion 23k may be configured to make contact with themouth 9 although, in the fourth embodiment, theprotrusion 23k does not make contact with themouth 9 while thecap 23 is mounted to themouth 9; - the
mouth 9 may be provided with theprotrusion 9h and thecap 23 may be provided with theprotrusion 23k although, in the fourth embodiment, themouth 9 has noprotrusion 9h; - the
valve member 4 may be omitted, and in this case, the contents are allowed to be discharged by compression deformation of theouter shell 12 while thefresh air inlet 15 is closed with a finger or the like; and - the
fresh air inlet 15 may be provided in themouth 9. -
- 1: Delaminatable Container, 3: Container Body, 4: Valve Member, 5: Tube, 6: Mobile Part, 7: Storage Portion, 9: Mouth, 11: Outer Layer, 12: Outer Shell, 13: Inner Layer, 14: Inner Bag, 15: Fresh Air Inlet, 21: Intermediate Space, 23: Cap, 27: Bottom Sealing Portion
Claims (22)
- A delaminatable container, comprising a container body having a storage portion to store contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the storage portion and the mouth having an outer layer and an inner layer, and having an inner bag composed of the inner layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents, wherein
the mouth includes an engagement section to be engaged with a cap mounted to the mouth and a constriction section provided on a storage portion side from the engagement section and constricting inside the mouth,
the mouth includes an upright wall extending from an outer edge of an upper wall of the constriction section at an angle between 45 and 135 degrees relative to the upper wall, and
a gap is provided between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the upright wall. - The container of Claim 1, wherein the upper wall extends approximately vertically to a central axis of the mouth.
- The container of Claim 1 or 2, wherein the upright wall has an angle between 60 and 120 degrees relative to the upper wall.
- The container of any one of Claims 1 to 3, further comprising a facing wall extending inside the mouth from an upper edge of the upright wall,
wherein a gap is provided between the inner layer at the upper wall and the inner layer at the facing wall. - The container of Claim 4, wherein the facing wall has an angle between -10 and 80 degrees relative to the upper wall.
- The container of any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the mouth includes an abutment section to abut on an inner ring of the cap, and
the abutment section is provided in an area closer to an outlet of the mouth than the engagement section. - The container of any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein
the mouth circumferentially has a first region provided with the constriction section and a second region provided without the constriction section or provided with a minor constriction section having a constriction amount less than that of the constriction section in the first region, and
the second region of the mouth is provided with a fresh air inlet to introduce fresh air into an intermediate space between the outer layer and the inner layer. - The container of Claim 7, wherein the fresh air inlet is provided in a position closer to an outlet of the mouth than the upper wall.
- A method of mounting a cap to the container of any one of Claims 1 to 8, comprising
mounting the cap to the mouth while the mouth is supported by having a support to support the mouth abut on a lower surface of the upper wall when the cap is mounted to the mouth. - A delaminatable container comprising a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, wherein
the inner bag is composed of an inner layer including an innermost layer to contact with the contents and a cover layer slidable over the innermost layer. - The container of Claim 10, wherein the cover layer contains an EVOH resin.
- A method of manufacturing a delaminatable container, the container including a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, the container body having a storage portion to store the contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion and also having a central recessed region provided in approximate center of a bottom surface of the storage portion and a peripheral region provided surrounding the central recessed region, the central recessed region recessed toward the mouth more than the peripheral region, the method comprising:sealing portion forming, in blow molding of a tubular laminated parison including an outer layer constituting the outer shell and an inner layer constituting the inner bag, forming a sealing portion of the laminated parison into a thin film in the central recessed region to protrude beyond a plane defined by the peripheral region; andsealing portion processing, bending or melting the sealing portion to accommodate the sealing portion in the central recessed region.
- The method of Claim 12, wherein the sealing portion is formed to have a maximum thickness of 1/3 or less of a thickness of the laminated parison.
- The method of Claim 12 or 13, wherein the sealing portion is formed to have an entirely uniform thickness.
- A delaminatable container, comprising a container body having an outer shell and an inner bag, the inner bag to be shrunk with a decrease in contents, wherein
the container body includes a storage portion to store the contents and a mouth to discharge the contents from the storage portion,
the outer shell includes a fresh air inlet, in the storage portion, communicating an external space with an intermediate space between the outer shell and the inner bag,
the storage portion includes a more rigid portion and a less rigid portion with less rigidity than that of the more rigid portion, and
the fresh air inlet is provided on a less rigid portion side. - The container of Claim 15, wherein the storage portion has a tubular portion in a tubular shape and a panel portion formed by depressing a portion of the tubular portion, and
the panel portion is the more rigid portion and the tubular portion is the less rigid portion. - The container of Claim 16, wherein, in the tubular portion, the fresh air inlet is provided in a position facing the panel portion.
- A delaminatable container, comprising: a container body and a press-fit cap mounted to the container body, wherein
the container body is configured to include a storage portion to store contents and a mouth having an opening to discharge the contents from the storage portion, the storage portion and the mouth having an outer layer and an inner layer, and having an inner bag composed of the inner layer to be shrunk with a decrease in the contents,
the mouth includes a mouth-side engagement section provided along an outer circumference of the mouth,
the cap includes a cap-side engagement section provided along an inner circumference of the cap,
the mouth-side engagement section and the cap-side engagement section are configured to be engageable with each other while the cap is mounted to the mouth, and
at least one of the cap and the mouth includes a tilt suppressor to suppress a tilt of the cap relative to the mouth by narrowing a gap between the mouth and the cap in a position more distant from the opening than the cap-side engagement section while the cap is mounted to the mouth. - The container of Claim 18, wherein the tilt suppressor is a mouth-side protrusion provided on the outer circumference of the mouth.
- The container of Claim 18 or 19, further comprising a constriction section constricting inside the mouth provided on a storage portion side from the mouth-side engagement section, wherein
the mouth-side protrusion is provided between an upper wall of the constriction section and the mouth-side engagement section. - The container of any one of Claims 18 to 20, wherein the tilt suppressor is a cap-side protrusion provided on the inner circumference of the cap.
- The container of any one of Claims 18 to 21, wherein the storage portion includes a fresh air inlet communicating an external space with an intermediate space between the outer layer and the inner layer.
Applications Claiming Priority (7)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2014258095 | 2014-12-19 | ||
JP2014258105A JP6540017B2 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2014-12-19 | Peeling container |
JP2014258101A JP6540016B2 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2014-12-19 | Peeling container |
JP2014258100A JP6540015B2 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2014-12-19 | Method of manufacturing laminated peeling container |
JP2015031081A JP6586734B2 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2015-02-19 | Lamination peeling container, method of attaching cap to lamination peeling container |
JP2015236867A JP6823245B2 (en) | 2015-12-03 | 2015-12-03 | Laminate peeling container |
PCT/JP2015/084554 WO2016098668A1 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2015-12-09 | Delamination container, method for attaching cap to delamination container, and method for manufacturing delamination container |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP3235747A1 true EP3235747A1 (en) | 2017-10-25 |
EP3235747A4 EP3235747A4 (en) | 2018-03-28 |
EP3235747B1 EP3235747B1 (en) | 2019-05-15 |
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Family Applications (1)
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EP15869873.8A Active EP3235747B1 (en) | 2014-12-19 | 2015-12-09 | Delamination container and method for attaching a cap thereto |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US10723500B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3235747B1 (en) |
KR (2) | KR101995407B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN107108066B (en) |
ES (1) | ES2742226T3 (en) |
TW (1) | TWI565633B (en) |
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EP3674224A4 (en) * | 2017-08-21 | 2020-09-23 | Kyoraku Co., Ltd. | Multilayer container and method for inspecting air leaks in multilayer container |
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CN110382371A (en) * | 2017-03-15 | 2019-10-25 | 京洛株式会社 | Peel container is laminated |
US10273061B1 (en) * | 2017-12-08 | 2019-04-30 | Tsai-Hui Lin | Container for viscous liquid |
CN112041234B (en) * | 2018-05-28 | 2023-06-02 | 京洛株式会社 | Container |
CN112770978B (en) * | 2018-11-30 | 2022-12-16 | 京洛株式会社 | Container with cover |
JP7385102B2 (en) * | 2019-01-28 | 2023-11-22 | キョーラク株式会社 | Storage container and its manufacturing method |
ES1228596Y (en) * | 2019-03-29 | 2019-07-25 | Partner Local Grup S L | BOTTLE OR CONTAINER WITH CUTTED MOUTH |
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CN114834771A (en) * | 2021-02-02 | 2022-08-02 | 塞舌尔商日勤包装科技股份有限公司 | Laminated peel container |
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2015
- 2015-12-09 EP EP15869873.8A patent/EP3235747B1/en active Active
- 2015-12-09 US US15/537,116 patent/US10723500B2/en active Active
- 2015-12-09 ES ES15869873T patent/ES2742226T3/en active Active
- 2015-12-09 CN CN201580069233.XA patent/CN107108066B/en active Active
- 2015-12-09 KR KR1020177016156A patent/KR101995407B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2015-12-09 KR KR1020197017688A patent/KR102093254B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2015-12-16 TW TW104142257A patent/TWI565633B/en active
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EP3674224A4 (en) * | 2017-08-21 | 2020-09-23 | Kyoraku Co., Ltd. | Multilayer container and method for inspecting air leaks in multilayer container |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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KR20170084248A (en) | 2017-07-19 |
EP3235747B1 (en) | 2019-05-15 |
KR101995407B1 (en) | 2019-07-02 |
EP3235747A4 (en) | 2018-03-28 |
CN107108066A (en) | 2017-08-29 |
TWI565633B (en) | 2017-01-11 |
ES2742226T3 (en) | 2020-02-13 |
KR102093254B1 (en) | 2020-03-25 |
TW201636273A (en) | 2016-10-16 |
KR20190073616A (en) | 2019-06-26 |
US20180265241A1 (en) | 2018-09-20 |
CN107108066B (en) | 2019-09-27 |
US10723500B2 (en) | 2020-07-28 |
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